"Hurricane Melissa has shut down Jamaica's airports and is disrupting flights through the Caribbean. A map published by FlightRadar at around 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday shows how flights to and from the US are avoiding the hurricane, which is the most powerful ever to hit Jamaica. As the hurricane moved north over Cuba, flights between Florida and the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico were forced to take longer routes around it."
"Montego Bay Sangster International Airport was particularly hard hit. Daryl Vaz, the country's energy and transport minister, said the country's busiest airport may have suffered "potential disabling impact." Footage obtained by the Jamaica Observer appeared to show rain pouring into the terminal through damaged ceiling tiles, flooding parts of the departure lounge. Vaz said relief flights for the north of the island may instead land at the smaller Ian Fleming Airport."
Hurricane Melissa closed all airports in Jamaica and forced flights across the Caribbean to take longer routes to avoid the storm. Montego Bay Sangster International Airport suffered significant damage with rain pouring into the terminal and parts of the departure lounge flooded. Relief operations may divert to Ian Fleming and Norman Manley International Airports to receive aid flights. Airports are critical to Jamaica's economy, with tourism generating roughly one third of annual revenue. Sustained winds reached 185 mph, stronger than Hurricane Katrina's peak, and US reconnaissance crews experienced heavy turbulence and had to abort missions.
Read at Business Insider
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