A group of influencers who arrived in Jamaica for a peaceful yoga retreat instead found themselves sheltering from one of the most powerful storms in recent history.

Hurricane Melissa, which reached Category 5 strength before making landfall on Oct. 28, 2025, forced the travelers to abandon their beachfront plans and take refuge in a wine cellar beneath their Montego Bay villa.

The group said in their videos that they tried to leave ahead of the storm, but their flights were canceled, leaving them trapped them on the island with limited options.

According to a report by the BBC, “By the time [Hurricane Melissa] struck Jamaica, the storm had reached Category 5 strength, with gusts fierce enough to tear roofs from concrete homes, uproot trees and snap power poles.”

A group on a yoga retreat is trapped in Jamaica ahead of Hurricane Melissa

A group of friends from Florida landed in Montego Bay days prior to the hurricane making landfall, and by the time they tried to fly out, the airports had already shut down.

One participant, Nicole Doyon (@nicole_doyon), documented everything. She began posting TikTok videos on Oct. 25 and asked viewers for advice about leaving. Additionally, she uploaded clips showing resort scenes and supply planning from the group.

After that, she kept rolling along with other yoga retreat attendees like Carlye Guido (@carlyeguido), who shared a video of them stocking provisions.

Nicole posted dozens of videos over the course of several days, including a lighthearted clip showing everyone’s “hurricane fit checks.” However, humor did not erase concern, and the tally of those injured or dead because of the hurricane hasn’t been counted yet.

@carlyeguido vacation too hard we’re stuck in Jamaica during a cat 5 hurricane ⛈️ #melissa #update #fyp #vaction ♬ Walking Around – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem

Another attendee, TikToker Sydney (@syddyoungyoga), also shared updates. She said the group tried to stay calm during the quiet hours before impact. Sydney also reminded critics that viewers only saw a slice of reality, and just because they’re being cheerful for the camera doesn’t mean viewers are seeing the whole story.

@syddyoungyoga Update from jamaica #jamaica #jamaicahurricane #hurricanemelissa ♬ original sound – syddyoung

How the yoga influencers are preparing

In some of the videos, they showed that the group moved into a wine cellar at the villa. They created makeshift bedding and an improvised bathroom. Furthermore, they lost stable electricity and could have been some of those affected by the power outage that covered three-quarters of the country.

Nicole’s last pre-storm post mentioned relying on a generator and spotty cell service. She said the signal flickered as winds picked up. Yet they stayed connected long enough to reassure followers that they felt ready for whatever arrived next.

@nicole_doyon We are safe and calm ♥️ #hurricanemelissa ♬ original sound – nikki

However, Nicole’s most recent video from the last couple of hours showed that everyone seemed to be in high spirits in the aftermath of the hurricane, and they are helping with cleanup now that it is safe again.

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The post “Going down gave me so much anxiety”: Trapped yoga influencers document Hurricane Melissa from their Jamaica villa appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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