Home / Disasters and Accidents / British Family's "Once in a Lifetime" Jamaica Trip Turns into Nightmare as Hurricane Melissa Strikes
British Family's "Once in a Lifetime" Jamaica Trip Turns into Nightmare as Hurricane Melissa Strikes
29 Oct
Summary
- British family's dream vacation in Jamaica disrupted by powerful Hurricane Melissa
- Guests forced to shelter in hotel as storm causes widespread destruction across the island
- Family's flight home delayed due to airport damage, left without basic amenities for days
In late October 2025, a British family from Prestwich, including Johnny Gupta, his wife, two children, and son-in-law, embarked on a "once in a lifetime" vacation to the tropical paradise of Jamaica. However, their dream holiday quickly turned into a nightmare as the apocalyptically powerful Hurricane Melissa slammed into the island.
The family had arrived in Jamaica just a week earlier, welcomed by glorious weather and sunshine. But as the threat of the hurricane loomed, panic began to set in. On Sunday, the hotel guests were informed they had to be moved to a different hotel for their safety. By Tuesday, when the storm made landfall, the family found themselves trapped in the hotel's cellar, along with hundreds of other guests, as the hurricane's 185 mph winds and flash flooding wreaked havoc.
The family endured eight hours of the relentless storm, with water pouring in from the ceiling and the constant fear that the building might collapse. "It was like being on the Titanic and we were all sitting there waiting to drown," Johnny Gupta recounted. The devastation outside the hotel was widespread, with roofs torn off, fallen trees, and power outages reported across the region.
As of October 30th, 2025, the family remains confined to their hotel rooms, with no access to basic amenities like water or electricity. Their flight home has been delayed due to the extensive damage to the airport. The hotel staff have been working tirelessly to support the stranded guests, but the situation remains dire. For the British tourists, this "holiday of a lifetime" has turned into a harrowing ordeal, a stark reminder of the unpredictable and destructive power of nature.
