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King Charles and Queen Camilla‘s thoughts are with the people of Jamaica. The Royal Family members issued a statement addressing Hurricane Melissa, the catastrophic Category 5, which has hammered the Caribbean island with extremely powerful winds and rain. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 “A message from The King to the people of Jamaica and all those across the Caribbean affected by Hurricane Melissa,” the Instagram caption on the RoyalFamil account read, alongside a letter with the King’s words. “My wife and I have been deeply concerned and profoundly saddened to see the catastrophic damage caused by the ferocity of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and across the Caribbean,” it began. “As we continue to follow the situation closely, our anxious thoughts are with all those who have been so cruelly affected by this awful storm,” the letter continued. Extending condolences to the victims of the powerful storm, King Charles wrote, “Above all, our most heartfelt sympthaty is with the families, friends and love ones of those who have tragically lost their lives.” The royal provided some context about his connection to the land, noting he’s had the “greatest affection” for it “ever since I first visited the island while serving in the Royal Navy on the West Indies station over fifty years ago.” “I know that no disaster can break her people’s enduring spirit of strength, solidarity and steadfastness,” he wrote. The king further expressed his “sincere admiration” for those who “responded so courageously when that spirit has been called upon in a desperate situation such as this,” commending emergency services, frontline workers and volunteers for their bravery and for working “tirelessly in support of rescue and recovery efforts across the island.” “This most dreadful of record-breaking storms reminds us of the increasingly urgent need to restore the balance and harmony of Nature for the sake of all those whose lives and livelihoods may have been shattered by this heartbreaking disaster,” he added. “Our special prayers are with you all…” he concluded in the officially signed letter. Per Weather.com, Hurricane Melissa has tied the all-time strongest landfall on record in the Atlantic Basin after making landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday afternoon. Melissa’s top winds clocked in at 185 mph, leaving behind a trail of devastation, destruction, and a growing death toll, before weakening and moving to Cuba, AP reported. Those outside of the direct path, like Haiti, Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas, weren’t spared, feeling the effects, with evacuations, collapsed houses, blocked roads, and flooding. Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, assured teams are working to provide relief and rescue, stating, “Recovery will take time, but the government is fully mobilized.”
