London, 31 October (H.S.): The United Kingdom government on Friday announced it has chartered evacuation flights for thousands of British nationals stranded in Jamaica following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa. The rare category five storm, which made landfall on Tuesday, has decimated infrastructure, caused extensive flooding, and resulted in numerous fatalities across the Caribbean.
As many as 8,000 Britons are believed to be on the island. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the chartered flights are intended to bolster commercial capacity and ensure people who wish to return to the UK can do so as soon as possible.
The government has also pledged £2.5 million in humanitarian assistance and deployed technical experts to aid the disaster response. Eligibility for the flights extends to British nationals, their immediate families, and members of the Windrush generation with indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica’s southern coast with sustained winds of 185mph (295km/h), leaving a trail of destruction. At least five deaths have been confirmed in Jamaica, with another 20 in neighboring Haiti.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared a disaster area, with large swathes of the country without power and communications severely crippled. Early images reveal flattened homes and communities submerged by floodwaters, particularly around the hard-hit area of Montego Bay.Personal accounts from stranded tourists paint a grim picture. Lyndsey Hookway, from Devon, described sleeping on the floor in her completely trashed Montego Bay hotel, which lacks running water. Others, like Paul Potter and his family, have had their flights cancelled, while relatives in the UK report being unable to contact loved ones. Kyle Holmes, who was on the island for a wedding, described the experience as being like in a war zone.
Logistical challenges persist, with Jamaica’s airports only partially operational. Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston has reopened for limited commercial and humanitarian flights, but Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay is currently restricted to relief operations.
The Foreign Office has advised travelers to contact their airlines first before relying on the government-chartered flights. Although Hurricane Melissa has now moved out into the Atlantic, meteorologists warn that heavy rainfall continues to pose a risk of flash floods and landslides across the island.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
