The UK Foreign Office has advised British tourists in Jamaica to contact their travel provider for updates and locate their nearest hurricane shelter as the island braced itself for the arrival of the biggest storm to hit since records began.
The Red Cross warned that 1.5 million people in the Caribbean could be impacted by Hurricane Melissa. A flight from Manchester to Montego Bay arrived in Jamaica at 12:28 on the 22nd October, meaning that tourists from the northwest of England are likely to be among those on the island.
Three people have died whilst preparing for the hurricane in Jamaica. The Independent reported that three people have also died in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.
The hurricane, which is now a powerful category 5 storm, is forecast to be the worst in the island’s history.
Forecasters have that warned the storm is set to bring winds, rain, flooding and storm surge to Jamaica.
The USA’s National Hurricane Center warned of “catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge.”
Melissa is expected to make landfall on Tuesday midday or afternoon and will likely remain at category 5 strength when this occurs.
Due to the circumstances, the Jamaican government has closed its international airports until further notice. A flight to Manchester was due to take-off tomorrow (Weds) from Montego Bay. At the time of writing it had not yet been confirmed whether this would be cancelled.
In the Caribbean Hurricane season runs from June to November.
The Hurricane is expected to move to Cuba and the Bahamas next.
