At least 200 British tourists are stranded in a hotel in Jamaica as Category 5 Hurricane Melissa heads towards the Caribbean island
At least 200 Brits are “locked down” in a hotel in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa – a deadly Category 5 storm – edges towards the Caribbean island.
Ranked at the highest possible rating on the Saffir-Simpson strength scale, with sustained winds over 157mph, Melissa threatens to unleash torrential rains and destructive winds on Jamaica.
She has already battered the neighbouring island, home to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, killing at least six people and displacing thousands. The storm is expected to hit Jamaica overnight or in the early hours of Tuesday, with stronger winds than those experienced by its neighbours.
British holidaymaker Andrew Tracey, who arrived in Jamaica last Monday, says he has been confined to his hotel room until at least Wednesday. He estimates there are at least 200 Brits at his hotel after flights, including his own, were cancelled. Jamaica’s two international airports have been closed since Sunday.
“If I knew that the hurricane would hit while I was out here, I wouldn’t have gone at all,” Andrew told Sky News. “It’s hard to comprehend what we’re about to expect. I’ve never experienced any kind of hurricane, let alone a Category 5. The tension in the hotel last night when we went down for dinner was definitely one of nerves, even locals.”
Melissa could be the strongest hurricane to strike Jamaica in decades, according to Evan Thompson, principal director of the country’s meteorological service.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned on X that the government has “declared the entire island a threatened area under the Disaster Risk Management Act”.
“Hurricane Melissa has strengthened to a Category 5 system and is now approximately 100 miles south of Kingston, moving slowly westward,” he wrote. “Based on current projections, all of Jamaica is likely to experience hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding.”
Mr Holness added that shelters are open, emergency teams are on standby and more than $400million has been allocated for drain cleaning, local preparedness and relief efforts.
The Foreign Office said: “Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane in Jamaica on Tuesday 28 October. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Jamaica and, whilst Melissa’s exact trajectory is not known, it is expected to bring exceptional levels of rainfall to the whole of Jamaica.
“There are estimates for up to 700 millimetres of rain, storm surges around coastal areas bringing waves of up to 4 metres, and winds of up to 135 miles per hour. Catastrophic flash floods and landslides are likely. The Jamaican government has closed its international airports until further notice.”
The hurricane has been named Melissa in accordance with the naming system used by the US National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organisation for tropical storms. Names rotate on six-year cycles and are only retired if a storm is particularly catastrophic.