St Kitts and Nevis successfully evacuates students from Jamaica ahead of Hurricane Melissa

St Kitts and Nevis: The government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, reported the successful evacuation of St Kitts and Nevis citizens that were studying in Jamaica before  Hurricane Melissa became more intense.

A group of twenty seven (27) students who were studying in the University of the West Indies (UWI) left from Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday evening, October 25, 2025, on a chartered flight and reached the twin island Federation by way of Turks and Caicos on Sunday, October 26.

Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew said that quick action was taken to ensure the safety and well being of all nationals abroad. He also noted that the government is fully dedicated to protecting its citizens at any time, including natural disasters.

Moreover, the government of St Kitts and Nevis has made special arrangements for those students who chose to stay in Jamaica. They coordinated with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the St Kitts and Nevis Student Association (SKNSA) to settle those students in a designated hotel that met safety and emergency standards. The University has also made official shelters available if they require more precautions. 

The Government of St Kitts and Nevis is continuously monitoring the situation in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Officials are in constant touch with regional partners and CARICOM entities to report on the safety of their citizens in all affected areas.

Hurricane Melissa expected to hit Jamaica as a Category 5 storm

Hurricane Melissa quickly became a major storm and is expected to hit Jamaica very soon. In a few hours time, it might intensify from a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds to a Category 5 storm with wind speeds of 170 to 180 mph.

The storm will be accompanied by life-threatening situations, including large-scale flash floods, landslides, tornadoes and deadly storm surges in the islands of Jamaica and some in the southern Hispaniola through midweek.

In Jamaica, the official meteorological services urged the residents to go to shelter areas and to remain indoors for the coming days as the onset of heavy winds and heavy rainfall have already begun. It is expected to get worse through Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Other island nations might also get affected from the storm’s impacts, which include Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are also being monitored although they will not be much affected as compared to some other islands.

Authorities all over the Caribbean are at high alert as Hurricane Melissa still presents a great danger to life and property in the region.