Honeymooners Tiera Coleman and Laquon Triplett have already had two return flights home to Milwaukee canceled as Hurricane Melissa continues to batter the coast of Jamaica.

Making landfall on Oct. 28, the first-ever Category 5 cyclone to slam into the island nation has brought "catastrophic" winds of up to 185 mph, flash floods and storm surge, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Considered the most powerful tropical cyclone in the world so far this year, Hurricane Melissa has already caused several deaths and injuries. Many residents and travelers, including Coleman and Triplett are seeking shelter and safety as the slightly weakened hurricane moves toward Cuba.

As of Oct. 28, the couple – who is also on their first international trip ever – said they are waiting out in their room at a resort about 40 minutes from Montego Bay. The resort is being powered by generators, with limited food available to guests. The newlyweds are working out how to get back home to Milwaukee, with Coleman telling USA TODAY their best hope is Oct. 31 if the roads are clear.

"There have been loud bangs on the ceiling, and our doors are shaking," Coleman told USA TODAY. "Most of the palm trees are down, and some parts of the resort property are damaged."

They said they first heard of the tropical storm on Saturday, and attempted to change their original flight home on Monday to on an earlier flight, but flights filled up too fast. The couple continues to pay for the extra days at the resort out of pocket, which "has added a lot of financial stress to the situation."

Their experience is similar to the many other travelers stranded in the beloved Caribbean destination, seeking shelter and safety as their return home remains in flux.

What happens if your destination is hit with a hurricane?

For the most part, destinations with a hurricane season are prepared for these sorts of natural disasters, according to Mike Ballard, director of intelligence at international security firm Global Guardian.

"Fortunately, the Government of Jamaica, the tourism industry, and our travel partners are experienced in hurricane preparedness and response," the country said on its official tourism website. "Our teams are very organized and in continual communication, and you can be assured that your safety and comfort is a top priority." On Oct. 24, the Jamaican government issued a hurricane warning for the island nation.

"A lot of these hotels and resorts, especially ones in the Caribbean, the kind of modern, relatively new buildings, they're built to withstand hurricanes to some degree," Ballard told USA TODAY. "I don't know how many are gonna be able to withstand 185 or 200 mile-an-hour winds, but windows and other things are certainly rated in some of these zones to be able to withstand."

Many hotels and resorts are equipped for these situations, with generators and stockpiles of food, fuel and plywood to protect vulnerable sections. Most resorts and hotels have plans in place to communicate to guests how to stay safe on property, he added. There are also 881 shelters set up across the island, especially for residents in vulnerable areas.

In a viral TikTok, another couple on their honeymoon in Jamaica said they were advised by their hotel, the Excellence Oyster Bay, to pack an emergency bag with essentials, and staff would take them to shelters if necessary.

Global Guardian has a handful of clients in Jamaica for vacations who are waiting the hurricane out at their hotels, Ballard said. "They're fine for now," he added.

The challenges most travelers face is how to return home. "Most folks don't have a real issue during the hurricane, it's really the aftermath when things are chaotic," said Ballard. "The airport may be shut down for a while." This depends on the need for humanitarian or emergency relief.

Airlines have issued travel alerts for airports in the path of the hurricane, with some like American Airlines' evacuation efforts being extra flights, capped airfares and larger aircrafts before airports close.

Ballard's recommendation is for travelers to follow guidance the resort and local authorities. "Listen to the folks who live there forever, they've been through a number of these, and they're gonna know the best way to kind of hunker down and shelter in place."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Our doors are shaking’: Couple stranded as Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica

Reporting by Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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