King Charles ‘deeply concerned and saddened’ over Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

The king shared his message on social media

King Charles has spoken out following the ongoing and devastating Hurricane Melissa, which hit Jamaica on Tuesday.

Hurricane Melissa is now a category two storm and has reportedly headed towards the Bahamas.

It first hit Jamaica’s southern coast with maximum sustained winds of 185mph.

Categorised as a category five storm, it has become one of the strongest storms to strike the Caribbean island in modern history.

Unfortunately, as communications have broken down, the true scale of the disaster remains unknown.

Amid the destruction and heartbreaking loss of life, King Charles has shared a “saddened” statement.

The image shows a gas station damaged by the Hurricane Melissa in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The hurricane sadly tore Jamaica apart (Credit: Xinhua/Shutterstock)

King Charles shares statement about hurricane Melissa’s destruction of Jamaica

Taking to his official Instagram page, King Charles penned a heartfelt message.

He wrote: “My wife and I have been deeply concerned and profoundly saddened to see the catastrophic damage caused by the ferocity of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and across the Caribbean. As we continue to follow the situation closely, our anxious thoughts are with all those who have been so cruelly affected by this awful storm.

“Above all, our most heartfelt sympathy is with the families, friends and loved ones of those who have tragically lost their lives.

“Jamaica is a land for which I have had the greatest affection ever since I first visited the island while serving in the Royal Navy on the West Indies station over fifty years ago.

“I know that no disaster can break her people’s enduring spirit of strength, solidarity and steadfastness.”

King Charles shares heartfelt message

He went on to say: “I particularly want to express my sincere admiration for all of you. And especially for those who have responded so courageously when that spirit has been called upon in a desperate situation such as this.

“I have the greatest appreciation for the efforts of the emergency services, frontline workers and volunteers who are working bravely and tirelessly in support of rescue and recovery efforts across the island.

“This most dreadful of record-breaking storms reminds us of the increasingly urgent need to restore the balance and harmony of Nature for the sake of all those whose lives and livelihoods may have been shattered by this heartbreaking disaster.”

King Charles signed off: “Our special prayers are with you all.

“Charles R.”

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Jamaica’s Prime Minister speaks out

On Tuesday, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness described the island as a “disaster area”.

He warned of the “devastating impacts” and “significant damage” to hospitals, homes and businesses.

As the catastrophic hurricane tore through Jamaica, three-quarters of the country were left with no electricity.

The 295km/h speeds of Hurricane Melissa were above those of Hurricane Katrina, which occurred in 2005. Katrina was one of the worst storms in history.

People clear debris on a street affected by Hurricane Melissa in Santiago de Cuba
The hurricane has devastatingly impacted the Caribbean (Credit: Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA/Shutterstock)

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer shares how UK will support those affected

On October 29, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced that the UK will provide £2.5m in emergency humanitarian funding to Jamaica.

Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons during Prime Minister’s questions on Wednesday: “The scenes of destruction emerging from Jamaica are truly shocking.”

Sir Keir Starmer also told MPs that naval vessel HMS Trent had been “pre-positioned in the region,” to provide support during the ongoing relief missions.

According to the FCDO, the funding provided by the UK will go towards delivering emergency supplies.

The supplies include shelter kits, water filters and blankets.

Thousands of Britons are believed to be in Jamaica. The FCDO has urged them to register their presence so that they can receive updates on the hurricane.

Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, those who have lost their homes and all those affected by this tragic disaster.