Kingston, Jamaica — At least 19 people have died in Jamaica and 30 in Haiti following the destructive passage of Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to ever strike the Caribbean. Authorities are struggling to reach thousands of desperate people in hard-hit areas cut off by catastrophic damage to infrastructure.
Jamaica’s Information Minister, Dana Morris Dixon, confirmed the escalating death toll, describing the scenes in western regions as “devastating.”
“There are entire communities that seem to be marooned and areas that seem to be flattened,” Minister Dixon said, as search and rescue efforts continued across the island.
The Category Five storm made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday before moving across the region.
Aid Stalled by Destroyed Roads
Nearly all of Jamaica remains without electricity, and vital supplies of water and food are growing scarce in many areas.
While the main airport in Kingston has largely resumed operations, the delivery of aid is severely hampered by impassable infrastructure:
- Road Damage: The journey from Mandeville to Black River, which normally takes an hour, is now taking up to eight hours due to torn-up roads, fallen trees, and utility poles.
- Access Issues: Military and relief convoys are struggling to reach western communities, where satellite imagery shows nearly all buildings in some villages have been destroyed.
The situation on the ground is grim. In the town of Black River, resident Olivia Cream, who watched her house ripped apart by 30-foot waves, told the BBC that whole families, including infants, are living on the streets.
“The area looks like Hiroshima, it looks like the Gaza Strip,” Ms. Cream said of her devastated town.
Haiti and Cuba Suffer Widespread Damage
In Haiti, where at least 30 fatalities have been confirmed, many victims died when a river overflowed in Petit-Goave. A full assessment is still ongoing, with authorities yet to access some affected areas. The UN’s interim co-ordinator, Gregoire Goodstein, reported that around 15,000 people are sheltering across more than 120 shelters.
Meanwhile, Cuba evacuated 735,000 people, helping to prevent any reported fatalities. However, the UN reports that more than 3 million people were exposed to life-threatening conditions, and nearly 240 communities have been cut off due to extensive flooding and landslides.
International Relief Mobilised
Governments and aid organisations globally are pledging urgent support for the affected nations.
- United Kingdom: The UK government has mobilised an additional £5 million ($6 million) to send humanitarian supplies, including shelter kits and solar-powered lanterns, adding to the £2.5 million already committed.
- United States: The US State Department is deploying a disaster response team to assist with search and rescue operations and provide food, water, and medical supplies.
- World Food Programme: The WFP is collaborating with partners to coordinate the delivery of logistics, cash, and emergency supplies across Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti.
As the recovery begins in the hardest-hit islands, Bermuda is now bracing for Melissa’s impact, where the storm is expected to pass as a Category Two hurricane.
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