The UK government is chartering flights to evacuate British nationals from Jamaica following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa. The category five storm killed at least five people in Jamaica and over 20 in Haiti, while leaving 77 percent of Jamaica without power.
More than 25,000 people remain in shelters across the island as authorities assess the full extent of the damage. The hurricane, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record with winds reaching 185mph, is now a category one system.
UK Response
Opposition Leader Keir Starmer described the situation during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday: "The scenes of destruction emerging from Jamaica are truly shocking." He confirmed that HMS Trent and specialist rapid deployment teams had been "pre-positioned in the region" to provide humanitarian support.
The UK is providing £2.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid for essential supplies including shelter kits, water filters and blankets. Two specialist Rapid Deployment Teams are traveling to Jamaica to facilitate the chartered flights and provide consular assistance.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement on Thursday: "The strong links between the UK and Jamaica mean many British nationals were there during the devastation of the hurricane, and we need to ensure they can get safely home, as we know how worrying and difficult the last few days will have been."
British nationals, their immediate family members, and Windrush generations with indefinite leave to remain are eligible for the chartered flights. Passengers will pay standard commercial fare rates. Jamaica's main international airport reopened late Wednesday, allowing emergency relief operations to begin.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
