What to know about storm surge dangers as Hurricane Melissa nears Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa is forecast to bring extreme, life-threatening storm surge to Jamaica when it strikes the island as a Category 4 or 5 hurricane on Tuesday.

The storm surge will decimate parts of Jamaica's southern coast, with water surging up to 13 feet above ground level.

Here is how storm surge works and why it's so dangerous:

When pressure falls in the center of the hurricane, water levels rise, and the water amasses while the storm is still over the open ocean.

As the hurricane nears the shore, strong winds push that amassed water toward the coast and onto land.

This can build walls of water -- potentially as tall as 20 feet or more -- which can quickly overpower walls and flood homes.

In 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, at least 1,500 people died "directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge," according to the National Hurricane Center.

The risks can be even greater if storm surge combines with high tide, which could quickly create a catastrophic rise in water levels.

This article was initially published in 2018.