Communities across the northern Caribbean are digging out from the destruction of Hurricane Melissa as officials assess and assessed the damage left by the catastrophic storm. Here are some of the latest updates.
Bermuda
Melissa was forecast to pass near or to the west of Bermuda late Thursday and possibly strengthen further before weakening Friday.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority said the country has a strong track record of resilience thanks to rigorous building standards, well-established emergency protocols, and coordinated response teams and measures are being taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors.
As such, the following emergency measures are being implemented:
- The Causeway closed at 10 p.m. on Thursday.
- All government offices will be closed until 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31 to allow time for assessment.
- Ferry service has been suspended on select routes on Friday until conditions have subsided.
- As of Thursday, L.F Wade International Airport remained open, subject to weather conditions.
Visitors currently in Bermuda, or with upcoming travel plans, are encouraged to contact their airlines, travel providers, hotels, and local business directly to inquire about any specific changes in their operations. The Bermuda Hotel Association offers a “Hurricane Guarantee” for travellers whose itinerary is impacted by hurricanes, providing penalty-free cancellations and potential complimentary stays for affected trips.
Jamaica
“The worst has passed and now we unite and we build Jamaica… so we call on all our partners to do this together,” Jamaica Tourist Board Canadian director Angella Bennett said in Facebook post. She added that assessment across the island are underway and to follow her on Facebook for updates.
Meanwhile, emergency relief flights have begun landing at Jamaica’s main international airport in Kingston, which reopened late Wednesday, as crews distributed water, food and other basic supplies. More than 25,000 people remained crowded into shelters across the western half of Jamaica, with 77% of the island without power.
“The devastation is enormous,” Jamaican Transportation Minister Daryl Vaz said.
Cuba
A televised Civil Defense meeting chaired by President Miguel Díaz-Canel did not provide an official estimate of the damage following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. However, officials from the affected provinces – Santiago, Granma, Holguín, Guantánamo, and Las Tunas – reported losses of roofs, power lines, fiber optic telecommunications cables, cut roads, isolated communities and losses of banana, cassava and coffee plantations.
Officials said the rains were beneficial for the reservoirs and for easing a severe drought in eastern Cuba. Many communities were still without electricity, internet and telephone service because of downed transformers and power lines.
The Cuba Tourist Board provided an update Thursday on the impact and recovery efforts in the eastern part of the island.
“Initial assessments confirm that while some regions sustained damage, key tourist infrastructure was largely unaffected. The recovery phase has already begun,” it said in a statement, adding “Thanks to the swift and effective preparation by Cuban civil defense and the timely evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents, there were no reported losses of human life.”
The Frank Pais International airport in Holguin has been operational since 7 a.m. on Thursday, however the Santiago de Cuba airport remained closed at this time.
The Cuba Tourist Board recommends that travellers with upcoming plans contact their travel agent or airline directly for the most current updates.
All other major tourist destinations across the country, including Jardines del Rey, Varadero, Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Largo, Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Havana continue to operate normally.
The Bahamas
Late Thursday, The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, in coordination with the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority, issued an All Clear for the entire country, indicating that that all hurricane watches and warnings had officially ended.
Following the announcement, the Bahamas Airport Authority conducted safety inspections at airports across the Central and Southern Bahamas. Most airports reopened, while operations at the following locations remained under review:
- Rum Cay Airport, Rum Cay
- Deadman’s Cay Airport, Long Island
- Stella Maris Airport, Long Island
Authorities reported minimal damage at airports and in surrounding communities and continued to assess conditions to ensure full operations resumed safely.
Previously, the government said airports in Nassau & Paradise Island, Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, The Abacos, Eleuthera & Harbour Island, Andros, Bimini, and The Berry Islands were unaffected and operating normally.
Sandals Resorts
A statement for Sandals Resorts on Thursday said, “Following Hurricane Melissa’s landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, we are grateful to share that all guests and team members staying at our resorts are safe. The safety and well-being of our guests and team members remain our highest priority.
Today, we continue to connect with team members across Jamaica and have begun comprehensive assessments of all resorts. We remain committed to keeping our guests, partners, and stakeholders informed and will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
The company says its customer service team is reviewing upcoming travel arrangements and offering flexible options to help guests who may need to reschedule their vacation plans and that it will proactively contact guests with reservations in the next two weeks as a top priority.
Guests/agents can call 1-800-SANDALS for assistance.
It further noted that The Sandals Foundation has initiated proactive relief efforts across the island. Those who wish to contribute can visit www.sandalsfoundation.org.
Haiti
Melissa also unleashed catastrophic flooding in Haiti, where at least 25 people were reported killed and 18 others missing, mostly in the country’s southern region. “It is a sad moment for the country,” said Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. More than 11,600 people remained sheltered in Haiti because of the storm.
If this article was shared with you by a friend or colleague, you may enjoy receiving your own copy of Travel Industry Today with the latest travel news and reviews each weekday morning. It’s absolutely free – just CLICK HERE.