Thousands of British tourists are stranded in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, wreaked havoc on the Caribbean island.
Around 8,000 British nationals are in the country and people have been told to stay inside to avoid the world's worst storm this year, which left behind “catastrophic winds” and “flash floods”.
On Tuesday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said Melissa was “one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin” as the storm hit southwestern Jamaica near New Hope with sustained winds of 185 mph.
Heavy floodwaters swept through the region, with winds ripping roofs off buildings, boulders falling onto roads, and landslides, downed trees and multiple power outages reported.
In Kingston, authorities warned nearby residents to beware of crocodiles, which could be displaced from their natural habitat by flooding.
In a post on X, the NHC warned that this is an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation” and that “catastrophic winds, flash floods and storm surges” continue to affect the country.
The center said residents should remain in their shelters at night and said the safest place inside the building was an interior room without windows, where falling trees could also be avoided.
Mike Brennan, director of the NHC, told BBC News that heavy rain and damaging winds will continue to affect much of the island into Tuesday night and that an additional 6 to 12 inches of rain is possible.
He added that even after the hurricane passes over the island, “the risk of flooding and just the post-storm environment in Jamaica will be extremely dangerous with widespread destruction of trees and power lines, significant structural damage” and that it will remain a hazardous environment, especially in the west and in the mountains, “for days, if not weeks.”
The Jamaican government had previously ordered evacuations from high-risk areas and all of the country's airports were closed, while the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) urged British citizens in Jamaica to register their presence through the government's website to receive updates from the FCDO on the hurricane.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The FCDO is ready to help British citizens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“We have established a crisis center within the Foreign Office, including with support from the (Ministry of Defence), and are also deploying specialist rapid deployment teams to provide consular assistance to British citizens in the region.
“All British citizens there should follow our travel advice and the advice of the Jamaican authorities.
“There are 50,000 dual citizens living in Jamaica and up to 8,000 British citizens who may be traveling or holidaying there.”
A Briton who cut short his holiday in Jamaica and paid £3,500 for tickets home for his family at the last minute before airports closed said he felt “totally let down” by the UK government's response to the storm.
Speaking to the PA news agency, David Rowe, who is originally from Hertfordshire and spent 10 days in Jamaica before flying home on Saturday due to the storm, said of the FCDO's response: “The advice should have been last week, like Saturday – do not travel – because many travel companies use FCDO advice when planning trips and making decisions as an organisation.”
The 47-year-old IT manager continued: “Something should have been done much sooner and many UK citizens and holidaymakers have been left stranded.
“This could have been prevented if the UK government had taken better action.”
Kyle Holmes, originally from Bolton and in Jamaica for the wedding with his wife and three daughters, told BBC Manchester his hotel in Lucea now looked like a “disaster zone”.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Holmes told the BBC his family were now safe after having the “worst experience ever” and barricading the family room windows with furniture.
Seven people have already reportedly died in the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.
British woman Chantell Nova Rochester and her Jamaican fiancé Denwa Ray told Sky News they were “as safe as possible” in St Elizabeth.
Mr Ray said: “It's quite strong where we are, it's strong, but you can hear a lot of wind. It's a bit scary, but we've got each other so we're strong.”
Network outage monitoring service Netblocks reported on X that due to the hurricane, communication quality had dropped to 30% of normal levels.
A man watches the coastline in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches (Mathias Delacroix/AP)
The NHC downgraded the storm to a Category 3 shortly before 6am UK time on Wednesday, warning it was expected to hit Cuba “soon” as an “extremely dangerous major hurricane”.
He previously warned that up to 30 inches of rain was expected in some mountainous areas of Jamaica.
In an X message early Wednesday morning, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez said more than 735,000 people across the country had been evacuated.
The Jamaican government said it had done everything it could to prepare and warned of devastating damage from the worst hurricane to hit the island since records began 174 years ago.
Jamaican-born Ambrosine Townsend, who lives in Kent, said she was waiting to hear from family and friends.
“I'm very confident she's well prepared,” Ms Townsend told the BBC of her sister, who tried to persuade her to stay with friends further down the coast.
“Even though I trust her, I tried to convince her. Because I know things can change. But she was adamant that she would be okay.”
Travel company Tui urged its customers to follow the advice of local authorities, while British travel trade body Abta warned British tourists in Jamaica to do the same, as well as monitor local news and follow the advice of accommodation and travel providers.
A man rips off a loose section of a roof in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches (Photo by Matthias Delacroix/AP)
On Tuesday evening, Ms Cooper urged British citizens to register their presence in Jamaica so consular support could be provided.
“We stand ready to support Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa hits the island,” she said in a post on X.
An FCDO spokesman said: “We understand how distressing the events in Jamaica are for British citizens and their families.
“Our travel advisory includes information about the hurricane season, which runs from June to November. Last Thursday, we updated our travel advisory for Jamaica to include a warning about Tropical Storm Melissa and that it is expected to intensify in the coming days.
“The safety and security of British citizens is our top priority and that is why we urge all British citizens in Jamaica to follow the guidance of local authorities.”
The storm is moving toward Cuba, where it is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane early Wednesday morning.
