British nationals caught in Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica have criticised the UK government, travel agents and airlines for failing to issue warnings before the storm hit. The category 5 hurricane made landfall on Tuesday, bringing winds of up to 180mph and causing widespread devastation.
Among those affected are a couple from north London who have been in lockdown at a Sandals resort since Sunday. They said their travel agent and British Airways did not advise against travel before their Friday departure. Carl Pheasant, who turned 61 on the day of the storm, said: 'We would have moved our holiday otherwise.'
The Foreign Office has advised Britons on the island to register their presence for updates and has deployed a specialist team. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK stands ready to support British nationals and Jamaica.
Other travellers, including Shantal Da-Costa, who travelled from London for her brother's wedding, said they were not warned by travel agents and have 'gone into survival mode'. Sarah Anderson, who is sheltering in Negril, said: 'I'm really upset that we were allowed to fly out and weren't offered to postpone or change dates.'
Hurricane Melissa is expected to move towards Cuba and the Bahamas. Many Britons face uncertainty about returning home, with airports closed and flights cancelled.
