At least 200 British tourists are stranded in a hotel in Jamaica as Category 5 Hurricane Melissa moves towards the Caribbean island
At least 200 Britons are “locked in” in a hotel in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa, a deadly Category 5 storm, approaches the Caribbean island.
Rated at the highest possible rating on the Saffir-Simpson force scale, with sustained winds in excess of 157 mph, Melissa threatens to unleash torrential rains and destructive winds on Jamaica.
It has already hit the neighboring island, where the Dominican Republic and Haiti meet, killing at least six people and displacing thousands. The storm is expected to hit Jamaica overnight or early Tuesday, with winds stronger than those experienced by its neighbors.
British tourist 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 in his hotel after flights were cancelled, including his own. Jamaica’s two international airports have been closed since Sunday.
“If I had known the hurricane would hit while I was here, I wouldn’t have gone,” Andrew said. News from heaven. “It’s hard to fathom what we’re about to expect. I’ve never experienced any type of hurricane, much less a Category 5. The tension at the hotel last night when we went down to dinner was definitely nerve-wracking, even for the locals.”
Melissa could be the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica in decades, according to Evan Thompson, senior director of the country’s weather service.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned in 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 located approximately 100 miles south of Kingston, moving slowly westward,” he wrote. “Based on current projections, all of Jamaica is likely to experience gale-force winds, heavy rainfall and flooding.”
Holness added that shelters are open, emergency teams are ready and more than $400 million has been allocated for drain cleaning, local preparedness and relief efforts.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane in Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28. A hurricane warning is in effect for Jamaica and, although the exact track of Melissa is unknown, it is expected to bring exceptional levels of rainfall to all of Jamaica.
“There are estimates of up to 700 millimeters of rain, storm surge in coastal areas that will cause waves of up to 4 meters and winds of up to 135 miles per hour. Catastrophic flash flooding and landslides are likely. The Jamaican government has closed its international airports until further notice.”
The hurricane has been named Melissa according to the naming system used by the United States National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization for tropical storms. The names rotate on six-year cycles and are only retired if a storm is particularly catastrophic.
