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to tourists Thousands of people are locked in their hotels Britain at risk as lethal hurricane melissa batter Jamaica,
The Government of Jamaica has ordered evacuation from high-risk areas, while others have have been asked to stay insideAnd all the airports of the world’s strongest country are closed Storm The biggest shock of the year so far is going to come on Thursday.
At least seven people have died so far across the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that “there are 50,000 dual citizens living in Jamaica, 8,000 British citizens who may be traveling there or holidaying there”, with British citizens now being urged to register their presence at the Foreign Office.
Among them is vacationer Andrew Tracey, who said he was ordered to remain in his hotel bathroom until the storm passed. He was scheduled to fly home on Monday before his flight was cancelled.
Mr Tracey described how food packages were being delivered to guests, deck chairs were removed from the beach and swimming pools at his Negril hotel were drained.
“The balconies and walls feel like they are vibrating because of the force of the wind,” he told Sky News. “I’m very nervous, it’s hard to understand what we can expect.”
Rebecca Chapman, who is in Jamaica for her 25th wedding anniversary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that her family’s hotel room was about 10 meters from the sea, so they were being moved to a more secure room.
He said, “There’s this strange roar that sounds like it’s coming from the ocean. It’s really strange, like something is coming.” “All the birds are gone, so it’s all become really quiet. It’s like a ghost town.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told travelers that catastrophic flooding and landslides are likely in the coming hours, with up to 700mm of rain, four-metre waves and winds of up to 135mph possible.
Describing Melissa as “potentially the worst storm ever to hit the country”, Ms Cooper said: “The FCDO stands ready to support British citizens 24/7.
“We have set up a crisis center at the Foreign Office, including support from the (Ministry of Defence), and we are also deploying specialist rapid deployment teams to provide consular support to British nationals in the region.
“Any British nationals who are there should follow our travel advice and the advice of the Jamaican authorities.”
In an update on Tuesday afternoon, the FCDO said British citizens in the country should register to receive updates.
Meanwhile, Royal Navy ships HMS Trent Already on stand-by in this area.
Melissa reached Category 5 strength as it approached Jamaica – the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds of more than 157 mph.
Three hurricanes have formed during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, a number not seen in 20 years.
Previous Category 5 hurricanes include 2005’s Katrina, which killed 1,392 people and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage, particularly around New Orleans.
A spokesperson for UK travel trade organization Abta said: “Travel providers are liaising with their suppliers locally and providing advice and support to their customers.
“Customers currently in Jamaica are advised to monitor local news and should follow the advice of local authorities, their accommodation and travel providers.”