UK Sends Emergency Aid to Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa Evacuations Begin

Sun Nov 02 2025 00:18:51 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A UK-chartered flight carries emergency supplies to Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, as efforts ramp up to evacuate British citizens from the devastated area.

Following the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the UK government has dispatched aid including 3,000 emergency shelter kits. With the storm leaving at least 19 people dead and numerous communities in disarray, the UK is also organizing the evacuation of Britons stranded on the island. Relief efforts face obstacles due to damaged infrastructure, but aid from various organizations continues to trickle in.

A flight carrying British aid arrived in Jamaica early on Saturday to help with recovery efforts after Hurricane Melissa, as the UK plans its first chartered flight to bring British nationals home later on Saturday.

The aid flight brought more than 3,000 emergency shelter kits as part of a £7.5m regional emergency package.

Part of the funding will be used to match public donations up to £1m to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent - with King Charles and Queen Camilla among those who have donated.

Despite aid arriving in Jamaica in recent days, fallen trees and landslides have complicated distribution after Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of the island, killing at least 19 people.

The hurricane made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a category five storm and was one of the most powerful hurricanes ever measured in the Caribbean.

Melissa swept across the region over a number of days and left behind a trail of destruction and dozens of people dead. In Haiti, at least 30 people were killed, while Cuba also saw flooding and landslides.

Jamaica's Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon said on Friday there are entire communities that seem to be marooned and areas that seem to be flattened.

The UK initially set aside a £2.5 million immediate financial support package, with an additional £5 million announced by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Friday.

Cooper said the announcement came as more information is now coming through on the scale of devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, with homes damaged, roads blocked and lives lost.

The British Red Cross reported that the King and Queen's donation would help the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) carry out lifesaving work, including search and rescue operations in Jamaica, as well as ensuring access to healthcare, safe shelter and clean water.

As of Saturday morning, 72% of the Jamaican population still lacked electricity and around 6,000 were in emergency shelters.

Until the Jamaican government can restore the broken electricity grid, the distribution of generators by aid agencies will be vital.

With many in desperate need of clean drinking water and basic food, patience is wearing thin, leading to incidents of people raiding supermarkets for supplies.

Queues for petrol pumps have also formed, with people desperate for fuel to run generators or reach contact points.

Meanwhile, Jamaica's health minister described significant damage across a number of hospitals, notably the Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth, which will require relocation of services.

Arrangements for ongoing fuel and water supplies to affected hospitals are in place, although landslides and downed power lines have rendered certain roads impassable.

A multinational humanitarian effort is mobilizing, with aid groups delivering supplies via truck and helicopter to the most affected areas.

Approximately 8,000 British nationals were thought to be on the island when the hurricane hit. The UK's first chartered flight to evacuate these citizens is scheduled to depart Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport late Saturday.

The UK foreign office has advised travelers to register their presence on the island and to check with airlines for available commercial options.