The UK Government is organizing flights to assist British citizens in departing Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Authorities are making arrangements for airplanes to evacuate British nationals as the death toll from the catastrophic natural calamity continues to climb. Jamaica has reported five confirmed deaths, while Haiti has recorded at least 20 casualties due to flooding triggered by the powerful category five storm.
With wind speeds reaching 185mph, Hurricane Melissa stands as one of the most formidable Atlantic hurricanes on record. The UK has pledged £2.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Jamaica. Keir Starmer described the footage of the destruction as “truly shocking.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson informed Members of Parliament on Wednesday that HMS Trent and specialized rapid deployment teams were positioned in the area to provide assistance.
Amid the floods, people are left stranded without power and facing infrastructure damage. Additionally, Hurricane Melissa, now downgraded to a category one storm, is expected to bring further strong winds and intense rainfall.
In Jamaica, over 25,000 individuals sought refuge in shelters on Wednesday after the storm tore roofs off their homes. Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s education minister, reported that 77% of the island was without electricity.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated, “Recovery will be a gradual process, but the government is fully mobilized. Relief supplies are being readied, and every effort is being made to swiftly restore normalcy.”
Referring to the devastation in the southwest coastal town of Black River, he remarked, “Black River is essentially ground zero. The residents are still grappling with the aftermath of the destruction.”
Assessing the damage was complicated by power outages and “a complete communication blackout” in certain areas, as per Richard Thompson, acting director general of Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, speaking to the Nationwide News Network radio station.