Hurricane Melissa’s wind gusts reached a record-breaking 252 mph shortly before the storm struck the Caribbean last month, according to data collected during the deadly event, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Hurricane Melissa has claimed at least 49 lives across the northern Caribbean, with officials warning that the death toll is likely to rise as search and rescue operations continue in storm-ravaged areas.

At least 20 people have died in Haiti as Hurricane Melissa swept through the country, local media reported on Wednesday.