'Nervous' British tourists in Jamaica tell of Hurricane Melissa ordeal

Up to 8,000 holidaying British citizens are in Jamaica as it reels from one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.

People have been ordered to stay indoors after Hurricane Melissa swept over the Caribbean island, which is also home to 50,000 dual nationals, with tourists locked down in hotels.

The full extent of the destruction remains unclear, with the storm now en route to Cuba.

Follow latest updates on Hurricane Melissa

Andrew Tracey had been due to fly home to the UK from Jamaica on Monday, but his flight was cancelled as Melissa brought winds of up to 185mph.

Mr Tracey told Sky News that food packages were being delivered to guests at his hotel. Deck chairs have been removed from the beach, and the swimming pools have been drained, at the Negril hotel where he is staying.

"The balcony and walls do feel as though they are vibrating just due to the strength of the wind," said Mr Tracey.

"I'm very nervous, it's hard to comprehend what we are likely to expect."

The US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said Melissa was "one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin" as it hit southwestern Jamaica near New Hope.

In a social media post, the centre warned that it is an "extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation" - and told those in the area not to leave their shelter as the eye of the storm passes over.

'It is a bit scary, but we've got each other'

A British-Jamaican couple spoke to Sky News as they sheltered inside.

Shantell Nova Rochester and her Jamaican fiance Denva Wray are due to get married on the island next month.

They spoke of broken windows and water coming in where they are staying, but the couple believe they are "as safe as they can possibly be" in St Elizabeth.

Mr Wray said: "Where we are is quite strong, sturdy, but you can hear a lot of wind. It is a bit scary, but we've got each other, so we are strong."

Asked about the wedding, Ms Rochester said: "We're just worried about getting through tomorrow, but that's a worry in the back of our heads.

"Where we plan to get married is flooded at this time."

Government action 'too late' - British tourist

One British man who paid £3,500 for last-minute flights so he and his family could return home before the hurricane hit the island said he felt "completely let down" by the government's response.

David Rowe and his family, from Hertfordshire, had spent 10 days in Jamaica before deciding to fly back to the UK on Saturday.

Mr Rowe, 47, was critical of the response of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Speaking to the PA news agency, IT manager Mr Rowe said: "It's all too late, their reaction and their response to the storm has been too late - after the fact.

"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.

"There should have been something done much sooner than this. 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."

Read more:
Hurricane Melissa: What we know
'Storm of century' makes landfall

Mr Rowe added that he and his wife had felt "very anxious" before they flew home - and "very sad" for those left in the country.

A Foreign Office 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 and register their presence with us to receive updates."

(c) Sky News 2025: 'Nervous' British tourists in Jamaica tell of Hurricane Melissa ordeal