Cuba’s president, President Miguel Díaz-Canel, warned residents to brace for a “very difficult night” as the island prepared for Hurricane Melissa to make landfall early Wednesday.

Hurricane Melissa is expected to hit eastern Cuba after passing Jamaica. NBC News’ Ed Augustin reports on how the island is dealing with power cuts, food shortages and an outbreak of tropical diseases as the storm approaches.

Cuba is bracing for Hurricane Melissa as it heads towards Santiago de Cuba, the island’s second-largest city, threatening catastrophic damage at a time the government is already failing to provide the most basic services and thousands are sick because of the rise of mosquito-transmitted diseases and other illnesses linked to poor sanitary conditions.

Scientists have debated adding a "Category 6" to the Saffir-Simpson scale for storms with winds over 192 mph. The already dangerously powerful Category 5 hurricane Melissa surged up to 180 mph maximum sustained winds with gusts over 210 mph Tuesday morning,

Hurricane Melissa crossed Jamaica on Oct. 28, one of the strongest storms on record in the Atlantic basin. Officials said it’s too early to assess the damage.

The eyewall’s destructive winds may cause total structural failure, particularly in higher elevations, leading to widespread infrastructural damage, prolonged power and communication outages, and isolated communities.