Storm of the century

THE storm they were dreading finally hit Jamaica yesterday bringing death, chaos and carnage across the Caribbean island.

- BY CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN US Editor

TRYING TO FLEE A Santiago de Cuba man hopes for lift as island is next in line for Melissa Seaweed recorded on Jamaican beach yesterday

Hurricane Melissa swept in from the Atlantic at 185mph, killing at least seven people, flattening homes, leaving communities cut off and sparking widespread flooding.

Dubbed the "storm of the century", it was just 5mph short of the strongest ever recorded over that ocean. Murdered Stephen Lawrence's dad Neville and the family of Chelsea star Raheem Sterling were among the 58,000 Brits on the island, some residents, others visitors.

And forecasters warn Melissa - the most powerful storm in the nation's history - could be even more destructive as it heads towards Cuba and the Bahamas this week.

Ahead of it making landfall, the Jamaican government ordered evacuations from high-risk areas and closed all airports, pleading with people to take shelter.

Briton Rebecca Chapman is on the island for her 25th wedding anniversary and staying in a beach hotel. She said: "There's this weird roar that sounds like it's coming from the sea. It's really odd, like something's coming. The birds have all gone so it's all really quiet. It's like a ghost town."

Holidaymaker Andrew Tracey was to fly home on Monday before his flight was cancelled.

He said food packages were delivered to guests, deck chairs removed from the beach and swimming pools drained at his Negril hotel. Andrew added: "The balcony and walls do feel as though they are vibrating just due to the strength of the wind. "I'm very nervous, it's hard to comprehend what we are likely to expect."