MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – A San Antonio woman vacationing in Montego Bay, Jamaica, found herself and her family trapped following Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island on Tuesday.
They rode out the storm together in their hotel room as the hurricane battered the Jamaican coast, she said.
Video and photos captured the moments before, during and after the storm, showing the intensity of the weather and the aftermath.
The family is now stuck in Jamaica, unable to leave until at least Saturday due to ongoing travel disruptions caused by the hurricane.
Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday afternoon as a Category 5 storm, with sustained winds of 185 mph. New Hope is located on the southwestern edge of Jamaica, while Montego Bay is located on the northwest side of the island.
Melissa is tied for the strongest Atlantic hurricane landfall, according to the KSAT Weather Authority.
Officials in Haiti said at least 40 people were killed as waters rose in heavy rain. Eight deaths were reported in Jamaica, where the tropical storm warning has been lifted, and one in the Dominican Republic.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said a “dangerous storm surge” was expected in the Bahamas through the night, with eastern Cuba still at risk. Maximum sustained winds were 100 mph (155 kph) as what had roared into Jamaica as a Category 5 storm was now at Category 2.
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