Approximately 200 British citizens are currently under “lockdown” in a hotel in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa, a destructive Category 5 storm, approaches the Caribbean island.
Hurricane Melissa, classified as the most intense category on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157mph, poses a significant threat of heavy rainfall and damaging winds to Jamaica.
Having already impacted the neighboring island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, claiming six lives and displacing thousands, Melissa is anticipated to make landfall in Jamaica either overnight or early Tuesday, potentially bringing even stronger winds than those witnessed in the surrounding regions.
Andrew Tracey, a British vacationer who arrived in Jamaica a week ago, revealed that he and around 200 other Brits are confined to their hotel rooms due to canceled flights amid the impending storm. Both of Jamaica’s international airports have been shut down since Sunday.
Expressing his apprehension, Andrew shared with Sky News, “Knowing that a hurricane was approaching, I would not have traveled here. The uncertainty of facing a Category 5 hurricane is overwhelming. The atmosphere in the hotel last night during dinner was tense, even among the local residents.”
Evan Thompson, the principal director of Jamaica’s meteorological service, warned that Melissa could potentially be the most powerful hurricane to strike Jamaica in decades.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the entire island of Jamaica as a threatened area under the Disaster Risk Management Act, emphasizing the severe risk posed by Hurricane Melissa, currently positioned about 100 miles south of Kingston and moving towards the west.
Holness highlighted the preparedness measures in place, including the opening of shelters, readiness of emergency teams, and allocation of over $400 million for drainage cleaning, local preparedness, and relief efforts.
The Foreign Office issued a warning that Hurricane Melissa is expected to hit Jamaica on October 28 as a major hurricane, with forecasts indicating significant rainfall, storm surges up to 4 meters, and winds reaching 135 mph, potentially leading to flash floods and landslides.
According to the standard naming system used by the US National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization, the storm has been named Melissa, with names rotated every six years and retired only in cases of extreme devastation.