Jamaica’s two major airports—Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston—remain closed to nearly all flights today as the island is bracing for Hurricane Melissa, currently a Category 5 storm.
According to AccuWeather, Melissa is expected to make landfall—still as a Category 5 hurricane—at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, October 28, along the southern shore about 60 miles west of Kingston. The report adds that “critical infrastructure”—including a key power plant, airport, shipping port, fuel terminal and water treatment plant—are all located within the path of the storm.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory Monday morning that those in Jamaica do not venture out of their safe shelter. It added that “catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely today through Tuesday.” Destructive winds leading to “long-lasting power and communication outages and isolated communities” are also expected this evening.
Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, according to the NHC, will also see impacts from the storm, including life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding and landslides.
Jamaica’s Preparedness
Ahead of the storm’s arrival, Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, said in a statement, “As Jamaica prepares for the impact of the approaching hurricane, I wish to assure our international partners, the trade, and the global press that the government and the Ministry of Tourism, in close collaboration with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and our industry partners, has been fully mobilized to safeguard the wellbeing of our visitors and tourism workers.”
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and airline and accommodation partners, Bartlett said, coordinated the structured and orderly departure of guests from the island.
He continued: “In the event that conditions necessitate, we have activated plans in collaboration with the JHTA to establish emergency shelter facilities for any visitors who may need to remain on the island during the passage of the storm.
“Additionally, the Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC) has been fully activated and is now operating as the communication nerve centre for the industry. It will remain manned on a 24-hour basis to ensure the highest level of coordination, information sharing, and responsiveness until normalcy is fully restored.”
