A DALKEITH woman was amongst those caught in Cancun as Hurricaine Dean raged its way into Mexico.
Kelly Gamrot (21) is on holiday in the region with her boyfriend Greg Dodds (20), his brother and their five friends.

Kelly’s mother, Mrs Diane Gamrot said on Tuesday: “At the moment they are confined to the hotel awaiting news of whether they have to go into a shelter or whether they will sit it out in the hotel.”

Kelly and her medical student boyfriend met at Dalkeith High School. She now works as a learning support assistant at St David’s High School and is a youth worker in the Dalkeith area.

Mrs Gamrot said that the Cancun holiday rep has been having meetings with authorities to keep the holidaymakers updated on the current situation.

“I must admit he seems very good,” she added. “The whole family are terrified and constantly watching the news or updates on the internet.

“There is a six hour time difference and Kelly has been phoning us in the late afternoon. Although she is nervous, she seems OK.

“We told her that as long as she is safe this is going to be a once in a life time experience. She is not a daft child, she is sensible and the group she is with are all very close.”

About 40,000 tourists in Cancun had evacuated the area by Monday, with around 20,000 remaining.

A hurricane warning
has been in effect from Belize to Cancun, although the resort of Cancun is likely to be spared a direct hit. However, the city could still see tropical storm-force winds.

Officials in Cancun organized additional flights to let tens of thousands of tourists leave before Dean arrived, meaning the hotel zone was largely emptied out.

The Category Five storm — the highest strength — came ashore at 3.30am (8.30 GMT) on Monday morning.

Cancun and other popular Mexican resorts are escaping a “direct hit” but that has not stopped around two-thirds of Cancun’s tourists leaving the area. Some holidaymakers camped overnight at Cancun’s airport to find a flight while others were turned away.