Hurricane Melissa: Caribbean braces for destructive winds and ‘catastrophic rainfall’

“Destructive winds, dangerous storm surge, and catastrophic rainfall” are due to hit the region, warned UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

Continuing to work closely with Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams, the UN is due to deploy additional staff to Cuba and Jamaica this week, as part of wider efforts to bolster emergency preparedness and coordinate response operations on the ground.

In a post on X, OCHA said preparations had been strengthened in Cuba, including:

• More than 100 tons of rice for the eastern part of the country
• Hygiene kits for 6,500 people
• Fuel bonds
• Ongoing prevention messages

In addition, the UN has allocated around $4 million for Cuba from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) ahead of the storm.

Moreover, special focus is being placed on Haiti, a nation already grappling with gang violence, disease, and gender-based violence. OCHA and its partners are assisting national authorities in strengthening preparedness and mitigating the hurricane’s potential impacts.

Authorities in the country reported that priority needs included emergency shelter, essential household items, hygiene and cleaning kits, safe water, and additional logistical support to reach isolated areas.

Coordinated efforts

The World Food Programme is providing logistical support, generators, and food assistance to families in Jamaica – which could experience its most powerful storm on record – while the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pre-positioned water, sanitation, and child protection supplies.

Meanwhile, the Pan American Health Organization is reinforcing health emergency operations, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is preparing shelter support, and other UN partners are mobilising for relief operations.

“Latin America and the Caribbean is the second most disaster-prone region in the world and children are among the most at risk,” according to UNICEF.