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UK tourists are locked down in their hotels as the life-threatening Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica. As many as 8,000 British citizens are understood to be in Jamaica as the world's strongest storm of the year so far batters the island. People in the the Caribbean country have been ordered to stay inside, while all of its airports are closed. The Jamaican government has also ordered evacuations from high risk areas. One British holidaymaker said he had been ordered to stay in his hotel bathroom until the storm passes. READ MORE: Care home bosses guilty of forging 85-year-old's will to get £175k fortune Andrew Tracey had been due to fly home on Monday before his flight was cancelled. He told Sky News that food packages were being delivered to guests, with deck chairs removed from the beach and swimming pools drained at his Negril hotel. He said: "The balcony and walls do feel as though they are vibrating just due to the strength of the wind. "I’m very nervous, it’s hard to comprehend what we are likely to expect." Rebecca Chapman, who is in Jamaica for her 25th wedding anniversary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme her family’s hotel room is about 10 metres from the sea. The hotel is moving them to a different room that is more sheltered. She said: "There’s this weird roar that sounds like it’s coming from the sea. It’s really odd, like something’s coming. "The birds have all gone so it’s all gone really quiet. It’s like a ghost town." Catastrophic flash floods and landslides are expected in the coming hours. Up to 700mm of rain, four-metre waves and 135mph winds are possible, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said. It is understood that seven people have already lost their lives across the Caribbean region. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said a crisis centre had been set up to help Britons on the Caribbean island. Speaking in the Commons, she said: "Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica shortly, potentially the most severe storm ever to hit the country. "Many people will be thinking of family and friends in Jamaica and in the region. "The FCDO stands ready to help British nationals 24/7. "We have set up a crisis centre in the Foreign Office, including with support from the (Ministry of Defence), and also we are positioning specialist rapid deployment teams to provide consular assistance to British nationals in the region. "Any British nationals who are there should follow our travel advice and the advice of the Jamaican authorities. "There are 50,000 dual nationals who live in Jamaica, up to 8,000 British citizens who may be travelling there or may be on holiday there. "We do stand ready to help and respond." Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here . Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength as it neared Jamaica – the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157mph. Three hurricanes of this type have formed during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, something not seen for 20 years. Previous Category 5 hurricanes include 2005’s Katrina which claimed the lives of 1,392 people and caused an estimated 125 billion dollars worth of damage, particularly around New Orleans.
