Britons stranded in Jamaica are being evacuated by chartered flights in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.
British nationals should use commercial flights as their first port of call to leave the country, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.
This comes after the Government confirmed it would support Jamaica with £2.5million in emergency humanitarian funding.
Sir Keir Starmer described scenes from the country as “truly shocking” while King Charles said he is “deeply concerned” by the destruction.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The strong links between the UK and Jamaica mean many British nationals were there during the devastation of the hurricane, and we need to ensure they can get safely home, as we know how worrying and difficult the last few days will have been.
“The UK Government is chartering flights to bolster commercial capacity and ensure people who wish to return to the UK can do so as soon as possible.”
Two specialist Rapid Deployment Teams are travelling to Jamaica to facilitate the flights and provide consular assistance.
The £2.5million funding will go towards delivering emergency supplies such as shelter kits, water filters and blankets, according to the Foreign Office.
Streets covered with mud, after Hurricane Melissa passed the Catherine Hall community in Montego Bay, Jamaica
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UK experts are also heading to the region to help co-ordinate and deliver aid.
Emergency relief flights began landing at Jamaica’s main international airport, which reopened late on Wednesday, as crews distributed water, food and other basic supplies.
More than 25,000 people remain crowded into shelters across the western half of Jamaica, with 77 per cent of the island without power.
Melissa also unleashed catastrophic flooding in Haiti, where at least 25 people were reported killed and 18 others missing, mostly in the country’s southern region.
Heavy rains from the outer bands of Hurricane Melissa flooded parts of Les Cayes, Haiti
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The Government will release a form for those affected to register for the flights, and all British nationals who have already registered in Jamaica will be automatically contacted, the Foreign Office said.
Seat costs for the flights will be based on standard commercial fares, the Foreign Office said, adding that it will prioritise the most vulnerable such as people with medical needs and children.
British nationals and their immediate family members, a partner, spouse or children under 18 years old, are eligible.
Hurricane Melissa caused heavy damage in Santiago, Cuba
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Windrush generations with indefinite leave to remain in the UK also qualify for the service. The FCDO added that British nationals should not travel to the airport unless it has contacted them with a seat allocation.
King Charles described it as a reminder of the “urgent need to restore the balance and harmony of nature”.
He said: “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.”
King Charles offered his sympathy with the victims
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Hurricane Melissa smashed through the northern Caribbean and was seen picking up speed as it churned across open ocean towards Bermuda on Thursday, leaving a trail of high winds and destruction from Jamaica to Cuba and Haiti in its wake.
People across the Bahamas and nearby Turks and Caicos hunkered down as the passing storm pummelled them with dangerous gusts and rain.
Around 600 miles (970 km) northeast of the storm’s last position, Bermudans are preparing for its approach, which is expected by the evening.
Authorities across the region, struggling to keep track of the devastation, confirmed 25 deaths in Haiti, 10 of them children, and four in Jamaica.
