Time, costs adding up for Duquesne woman still stranded in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa

A local woman stranded in Jamaica says it could be days before she can get home.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Duquesne woman stranded in Jamaica amid Hurricane Melissa

Antoinette Margita of Duquesne rode out Hurricane Melissa in her hotel bathroom. Now, she says, every day that passes is costing her time and money.

“I was up for 24 hours. And the bathroom, I was in there for at least five or six hours,” Margita told Channel 11.

From the floor of her hotel bathroom, all Margita could do was wait.

“Nothing you can do. Just kind of like sit there and wait,” she said.

Wind and rain lashed her window as Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica. Water covered the floor.

“There was a lot of anxiety. Definitely,” she said.

Now, Margita is facing a different type of stress, as she awaits word on when she’ll be able to head home.

“Originally, it was Tuesday that I was supposed to leave. Then they booked it for Thursday. And then they said tomorrow, Friday. And then now they’re saying Sunday.”

Each day that passes costs her time and money, she says.

“I had to pay more money to try to find another flight. And then every night we have to pay more money to stay here,” Margita said, adding, “I’m probably out like over $1,000.”

Because of the widespread damage, Margita says, she’s confined to the hotel, which is running on a generator.

“The only place you can kind of go is in the lobby because they have everything blocked off because there’s just damage everywhere.”

Her frustration is growing.

“Yesterday I waited in line for like an hour and a half just to get the food because they’re just passing it out,” she said, adding, “It’s just very frustrating, and I just want to be home.”

Margita says she regrets not leaving before the storm hit.

Adding to her frustration, she had another flight booked for Saturday to celebrate her niece’s birthday in Florida. Now, that’s not happening.

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