Over 200 British citizens are currently confined in a hotel in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa, classified as a dangerous Category 5 storm, approaches the Caribbean island.
With sustained winds exceeding 157mph, Hurricane Melissa poses a severe threat of heavy rainfall and damaging winds to Jamaica, being at the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Having already impacted neighboring islands, claiming the lives of at least six individuals and displacing thousands, the storm is predicted to hit Jamaica either overnight or in the early hours of Tuesday, potentially with more intensity than the previously affected regions.
Andrew Tracey, a British holidaymaker who arrived in Jamaica a week ago, disclosed that he and others are under hotel lockdown until at least Wednesday due to flight cancellations. The closure of Jamaica’s international airports since Sunday has left around 200 Brits stranded at Tracey’s hotel.
Expressing regret over his decision to travel amidst the impending hurricane, Tracey shared his anxiety about facing a Category 5 storm for the first time, highlighting the tension felt among guests at the hotel.
Evan Thompson, the principal director of Jamaica’s meteorological service, suggested that Hurricane Melissa could be the most potent storm to hit the island in several decades.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica declared the entire island a threatened area under the Disaster Risk Management Act in preparation for Hurricane Melissa’s impact, which is currently positioned about 100 miles south of Kingston, moving westward with a Category 5 intensity.
Holness assured that shelters are open, emergency response teams are on standby, and substantial funds have been allocated for disaster preparedness and relief efforts.
The Foreign Office issued a warning regarding Hurricane Melissa’s expected landfall in Jamaica, including projections of heavy rainfall, storm surges, and strong winds, prompting the closure of the country’s international airports.
Following the naming conventions of the US National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization, Hurricane Melissa could potentially cause catastrophic effects in Jamaica, with names of severe storms being retired only in exceptional cases.
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