Brits locked down in hotels as Hurricane Melissa batters Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa latest as British tourists left stranded in Jamaica
- Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricane landfalls on record, caused catastrophic winds and flash flooding across Jamaica.
- The storm made landfall with sustained 185mph winds, leading to widespread devastation including torn roofs, landslides, power outages, and displaced crocodiles.
- Up to 8,000 British tourists were among those stranded in Jamaica, prompting the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to establish a crisis centre and urge nationals to register for updates.
- Seven fatalities have been reported across the Caribbean region, with three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.
- The US National Hurricane Centre downgraded Melissa to a Category 3 storm as it heads towards Cuba, where over 735,000 people have been evacuated in anticipation of its landfall.