Hurricane Beryl: Newlyweds among American tourists stuck in Jamaica as storm hits
Some American tourists are still stuck in Jamaica as Hurricane Beryl continues to pound the Caribbean Sea en route to Mexico.
Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 storm, has been making its way through the southeast Caribbean this week. The storm hit Jamaica on Wednesday.
Newlywed Casey Haley told Fox News Digital that she recently flew into Jamaica to celebrate her honeymoon. She and her husband got married on Saturday, and they arrived in the country on Sunday morning.
“We were originally told not to worry and that everything would be fine. Now they are doing lots of storm prep,” she explained.
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American tourists, including newlyweds, are stuck in Jamaica during Hurricane Beryl. (Casey Haley)
The bride noticed people at their resort leaving on Monday evening. When she and her husband inquired about the situation to hotel staff, they were given mixed messages.
“Our room is on the 10th floor, you’re not supposed to stay up that high during [a] hurricane,” Haley said. “So we decided to find a safe place within our building. We found an inner stairwell that is away from all windows and doesn’t have a ton of ceiling above us.”
The couple was then moved to a conference room. Haley noted that the resort “seems a little frantic.”
“It was calm right up until this morning,” she said. “Lots of last minute boarding up and prep.”
“That’s when the reality of the situation set in, but we took a breath, said a prayer, and did all the prep we could,” she said. “The storm is hitting now, so we will likely be losing all contact soon.”
Casey Haley and her husband were visiting Jamaica for their honeymoon when the storm hit. (Casey Haley)
Despite the uncertainty, Haley affirmed that she still hopes for the best.
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“We feel prepared and we are prayerful,” she said. “Everything else is now out of our control and our goal is to respond to whatever happens with level heads.”
Tourist Kiki Barry, who is vacationing in Jamaica with her friend, told Fox News Digital that she was due to leave on Wednesday before Sangster International Airport (MBJ) closed due to the storm.
“We are in a safe place, they have converted the movie theater and convention center inside into a shelter,” she explained. “We have plenty [of] food, drinks, some indoor fans and portable air conditioners. We have movies and games the staff have planned.”
Kiki Barry, left, is currently in Jamaica with her friend as they wait out the storm. (Kiki Barry)
Barry added that she felt “calm but anxious,” and commended her hotel for keeping guests “in good spirits.”
“We had a very good trip, just ready to get home to our husbands and children,” she said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, at least six people have been killed amid the storm. AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jon Porter said he was “very concerned about a wide variety of life-threatening impacts in Jamaica.”
Tourist Kiki Barry told Fox News Digital that her hotel is keeping guests in good spirits with its movie theater. (Kiki Barry)
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“[This is] the strongest and most dangerous hurricane threat that Jamaica has faced, probably, in decades,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
