A charter flight is set to depart from Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday to bring British citizens home following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa. The Foreign Office confirmed the flight for those unable to secure commercial travel after the category five storm struck the island.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday with top wind speeds of 185mph, making it one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the island. The storm killed 19 people in Jamaica and left thousands displaced. Popular tourist areas like Montego Bay suffered significant damage.
Around 8,000 British nationals were estimated to be on the island when the hurricane struck. The charter flight will depart from Norman Manley International Airport for those stranded after commercial routes were disrupted by the storm's destruction.
UK humanitarian response
The British government announced £7.5 million in humanitarian support for those affected by the hurricane. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the aid aimed at «increasing our funding for humanitarian support to ensure we can get shelter kits, solar lamps and sanitation products to those who need it most».
Part of the funding will match donations made to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent. Hurricane Melissa also caused catastrophic flooding in Haiti, where local authorities reported at least 30 deaths. Thousands across the Caribbean region remain in emergency shelters.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
