Thousands of Britons stranded as Hurricane Melissa wreaks havoc on Jamaica

Thousands of British tourists remain stranded in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history, wreaked havoc on the Caribbean island.

As many as 8,000 British citizens are in the country, with people ordered to stay inside to avoid the world’s strongest storm of the year so far, which left “catastrophic winds” and “flash flooding” in its wake.

On Tuesday, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami said Melissa was “one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin” as the storm hit south-western Jamaica near New Hope with sustained winds of 185mph.

Heavy floodwaters swept across the region as wind tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled into roads, with landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages reported.

In Kingston, officials warned those in the surrounding area to watch out for crocodiles that may be displaced from their natural habitat by flooding.

In a post on X, the NHC warned that it is an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation” and that “catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge” were ongoing in the country.

The centre said residents should remain in their shelter overnight and advised that an interior room without windows, where falling trees can also be avoided, was the safest place within a building.

Mike Brennan, director of the NHC told BBC News that heavy rainfall and damaging winds will continue to affect the majority of the island overnight on Tuesday and that an additional six to 12 inches of rain was possible.

He added that even after the storm passed over the island, the “flooding risk, and just the post-storm environment in Jamaica, is going to be extremely dangerous with widespread trees and power lines down, significant structural damage” and that it will remain a dangerous environment, particularly in the west and in the mountains, “for days, if not weeks to come”.

The Jamaican government previously ordered evacuations from high-risk areas, and all the country’s airports are shut, while the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) urged British nationals in Jamaica to register their presence through the Government website to receive updates from the FCDO on the hurricane.

Speaking in the Commons, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The FCDO stands ready to help British nationals 24/7.

“We have set up a crisis centre in the Foreign Office, including with support from the (Ministry of Defence), and also we are positioning specialist rapid deployment teams to provide consular assistance to British nationals in the region.

“Any British nationals who are there should follow our travel advice and the advice of the Jamaican authorities.

“There are 50,000 dual nationals who live in Jamaica, up to 8,000 British citizens who may be travelling there or may be on holiday there.”

A British man who cut his holiday in Jamaica short and paid £3,500 for last-minute flights home for his family before the airports shut said he felt “completely let down” by the UK Government’s response to the hurricane.

Speaking to the PA news agency, David Rowe, who is from Hertfordshire and spent 10 days in Jamaica before flying home on Saturday because of the storm, said of the FCDO’s response: “The advice should have been last week, like on the Saturday – don’t travel – because a lot of the travel companies use the FCDO guidance on travel (for) all their planning and what decisions they make as an organisation.”

The IT manager, 47, continued: “There should have been something done much sooner than this and a lot of the UK nationals and people on holiday there, they are stranded.

“This could have been prevented with better action from the UK Government.”

Kyle Holmes, who is from Bolton and visiting Jamaica for a wedding with his wife and three daughters, told BBC Manchester that his hotel in the town of Lucea now looks like a “disaster zone”.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Holmes told the BBC his family are now safe after the “worst experience ever” and barricading the windows of the family’s room with furniture.

Seven people have already reportedly lost their lives across the Caribbean region, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.

Late on Tuesday night, the NHC downgraded the storm to Category 3 as it moved toward eastern Cuba with maximum sustained winds slowing to 125mph.

The update warned that “catastrophic” flash flooding remained likely in Jamaica with some areas expected to receive up to 30 inches of rain.

In Cuba, people were urged to “seek shelter immediately,” while the Bahamas were advised that “preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion”.

The Jamaican government said it had done all it could to prepare and warned of devastating damage from the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record-keeping began 174 years ago.

Jamaican-born Ambrosine Townsend, who lives in Kent, said she was waiting for news of family and friends.

“I’m very confident she’s well prepared,” Ms Townsend told the BBC about her sister, having tried to convince to stay with friends further down the coast.

“Even though I trust her, I tried to persuade her. Because I know that things can change. But she was adamant that she would be OK.”

Travel company Tui urged its customers to follow the advice of local authorities, while UK travel trade organisation Abta warned British tourists in Jamaica to do the same, as well as to monitor local news and follow advice from their accommodation and travel providers.

On Tuesday night, Ms Cooper urged British nationals 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 spokesperson said: “We understand how worrying developments in Jamaica are for British nationals and their families.

“Our travel advice includes information about hurricane season, which runs from June to November. Last Thursday we updated our travel advice for Jamaica to include a warning about Tropical Storm Melissa and that it was expected to intensify over the coming days.

“The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority, and that is why we are urging any British nationals in Jamaica to follow the guidance of the local authorities.”

The storm is heading towards Cuba, where it is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane early on Wednesday.