The Caribbean is reeling after Hurricane Melissa tore through the region, leaving widespread devastation. From Jamaica to Cuba and Haiti, thousands are homeless and in desperate need of help. But the United Nations and its partners are mobilising fast.
Torrential rain, storm surges, and deadly landslides have left entire communities cut off — homes flattened, roads washed away, and power and internet are still down across large areas.
The United Nations’ humanitarian office says emergency supplies are now being rushed in to support government relief efforts in the hardest-hit countries.
In Jamaica, where the southern region has been described as “apocalyptic”, the World Food Programme has already delivered 5,000 food kits — enough to feed 15,000 people for a week.
WFP Country Director Brian Bogart told UN News, “Preparedness efforts helped them respond quickly, but Jamaica’s resilience must now be supported.”
Medical teams are being deployed, and aid groups are working around the clock to restore clean water and sanitation, while providing trauma care and disease surveillance.
The Pan American Health Organization is sending over five tonnes of supplies — including trauma kits, mosquito nets, and tents — while UNICEF warns that more than a quarter of a million Jamaican children urgently need help.
With more aid ready to be airlifted, UN agencies say they’re determined to ensure no one is left behind on the long road to recovery.