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Ant\u00f3nio Guterres spoke by phone to Jamaica\u2019s Prime Minister Andrew Holness earlier in the day emphasising afterwards in a statement that \u201cinternational support is crucial\u201d as the country deals with the effects of the category 5 storm which brought rain, storm surges and catastrophic flooding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe calls for the mobilisation of massive resources to deal with the loss and damage from the hurricane<\/strong>,\u201d said the Deputy UN Spokesperson.<\/p>\n The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated $4 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) so agencies and their partners can rapidly scale up humanitarian operations in Jamaica.<\/p>\n Five days after the most powerful storm in the island’s history made landfall in the west, many residents are still waiting for aid to arrive, according to local news reports, with many roads still inaccessible and communities without power and running water. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The Government reported on Saturday that the death toll has risen to at least 28. The top UN official on the island, Dennis Zulu, told UN News<\/em> on Friday that around 13 UN agencies were working as quickly as possible alongside authorities to clear roads and make essential repairs.<\/p>\n \u201cMy team here remains committed\u2026to ensure that Jamaica gets back on its feet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n UN children\u2019s agency, UNICEF, said on Saturday more than 700,000 children across the Caribbean had been impacted by the hurricane, which also made landfall in Cuba and caused chaos across western Haiti.<\/p>\n UNICEF is supporting the Jamaican Government to reach more than 284,000 children to address urgent nutrition needs, access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene including mental health support.<\/p>\n In Haiti, UNICEF is deploying hygiene and emergency health kits, cash to households at risk and engaging communities.<\/p>\n UN aid coordination office, OCHA, accompanied UNICEF at Jos\u00e9 Mart\u00ed airport in Cuba on Saturday to unload supplies for over 90,000 people affected by Melissa \u2013 alongside national authorities \u2013 working as a single team, driving emergency response.<\/p>\n UN relief chief Tom Fletcher, said on Friday: \u201cIn times like this, international solidarity isn\u2019t just a principle \u2013 it\u2019s a lifeline<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n An OCHA team has been deployed to Jamaica to strengthen coordination and information management.<\/p>\n UN agencies and NGOs are helping restore access, deliver emergency health and water services, and assist communities whose homes, schools and hospitals have been hit hard.<\/p>\n A $4 million allocation from the OCHA-managed CERF for Cuba, allowed UN agencies to position life-saving support before the storm hit.<\/p>\n The Cuban Red Cross assisted with preventive evacuations, early-warning messages and psychosocial support, in coordination with the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC).<\/p>\n In Haiti, a country reeling from a massive humanitarian crisis and deadly armed violence, humanitarian teams are working alongside national authorities to respond to the urgent needs. Several days before the hurricane struck a $4 million CERF allocation allowed aid to be pre-positioned.<\/p>\n In addition, over 3.5 million alerts were sent out to vulnerable populations, saving lives. UN agencies and partners are now supporting temporary shelters and providing food, shelter, non-food items and cash assistance.<\/p>\nUN provides $4m aid injection<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Support for vulnerable children<\/strong><\/h2>\n
International solidarity \u2018a lifeline\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Well-prepared in Cuba<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Early-warnings across Haiti<\/strong><\/h2>\n