Jamaica has been declared a “disaster area” after Hurricane Melissa struck on Tuesday.
The storm, already recorded as one of the most powerful in history with 185mph winds, wreaked havoc on the Commonwealth realm – and is now barrelling towards Cuba.
Initially a Category Five when it hit Jamaica, the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) has since downgraded the hurricane to a “powerful” Category Four.
As many as 15,000 Jamaicans are in shelters, while more than 350,000 are without power.
Alongside the locals, some 25,000 tourists are believed to be stranded.
Jamaican PM Andrew Holness formally declared the island a “disaster area” on Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to “prevent any exploitation at a time when citizens are securing food, water and supplies”.
He had earlier said: “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5.
“The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
Under the declaration, the Government renewed a trade order banning any price gouging during recovery efforts and the subsequent clean up.
The island has officially been declared a ‘disaster area’
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Across the Caribbean, seven people died as preparations were made for the storm – but Jamaica has recorded no other fatalities since the storm hit.
It is thought that as many as 8,000 British citizens are on the island which is currently being hit by “catastrophic winds” and “flash flooding”.
With all airport on the island shut, the UK Foreign Office has urged any British nationals stuck there to register their presence through the Government website in order to receive updates.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons: “The FCDO stands ready to help British nationals 24/7.
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The island was hit by ‘catastrophic winds’ and ‘flash flooding’
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“We have set up a crisis centre in the Foreign Office, including with support from the [Ministry of Defence], and also we are positioning specialist rapid deployment teams to provide consular assistance to British nationals in the region.
“Any British nationals who are there should follow our travel advice and the advice of the Jamaican authorities.”
However, a British man who cut his holiday on the island short and paid £3,500 for last-minute flights home before the country’s airports shut said he felt “completely let down” by the Government.
David Rowe, from Hertfordshire, said: “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.”
It is thought as many as 8,000 British tourists may be stranded on the island
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The 47-year-old IT manager added: “There should have been something done much sooner than this and 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.”
A spokesman for the FCDO 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 out top priority, and that is why we are urging any British nationals in Jamaica to follow the guidance of the local authorities.”
