Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean after making landfall in Jamaica and Cuba earlier this week, severely impacting Haiti in the process. It is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic. Widespread damage, severe flooding and mass displacement have been reported across several countries, with humanitarian organizations warning that recovery efforts will require sustained international support.
More than 60 deaths have been reported, including at least 28 in Jamaica, which the Jamaican government confirmed on Saturday. According to Jamaican authorities, additional reports of possible deaths are still being verified, and the death toll is expected to rise further.
Haiti, which was not hit directly by Melissa, suffered extensive flooding and heavy rainfall for several days, resulting in at least 31 deaths. Among these, at least 23, including 10 children, were caused by flooding in the coastal town of Petit-Goâve, where a river burst its banks. A further two deaths were reported in the Dominican Republic.
However, humanitarian aid organizations say that advance warning and early action have helped to limit casualties and enable a faster, more effective response.
Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane, bringing winds of up to 185 mph (295 km/h), before crossing eastern Cuba as a Category 3 storm the following day. Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and other parts of Central America also experienced heavy rainfall and flooding as the system moved northwards. As of Friday, Hurricane Melissa had become a post-tropical cyclone.
“Millions of people are caught in the storm’s path and need urgent help,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief, on Thursday. “In times like this, international solidarity isn’t just a principle - it’s a lifeline.”
Jamaica: Worst impact in decades
Jamaica faced the storm’s full force, with catastrophic winds, landslides, and storm surges up to four meters high battering southern parishes and causing widespread infrastructure damage. The government declared the entire country a disaster area, enabling the mobilization of emergency response mechanisms and full emergency powers.
Homes have been flattened, roads and bridges have been washed away, and vast areas remain without electricity or phone service. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) reported that 123 communities nationwide have been severely affected, resulting in the displacement of 30,000 people and leaving more than 50,000 without power.
Three major hospitals in Jamaica have been severely impacted, forcing patient transfers and temporary service closures. As these hospitals are among the most critical in their respective regions, the damage has significantly impacted the health sector’s capacity to respond to emergency needs.
UN agencies and NGOs are providing essential services, including emergency healthcare, water supply, and community assistance, to those most impacted. In several parishes, access remains limited due to blocked roads and debris.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying emergency medical teams that will focus on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), provide psychological support, and help with disease surveillance. Some 5.5 tons of medical supplies are ready to be sent to Jamaica.
UN Women estimates that more than 445,000 women and girls have been directly affected, increasing the need for protection and recovery services. Meanwhile, Norman Manley and Sangster International Airports have reopened for limited commercial and humanitarian flights while damage assessments continue.
The UN and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) are coordinating relief operations. A Rapid Needs Assessment Team is deploying to Jamaica to support the national authorities.
The World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and other humanitarian organizations are restoring access to food, water, and health care services. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Cross are providing shelter and household support.
Cuba: Millions affected and infrastructure devastated
Cuba’s eastern provinces — Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo — sustained heavy damage after Melissa passed through on Wednesday. Authorities report that over 735,000 people were evacuated, which is the highest number in recent hurricane responses. More than two million people may require humanitarian assistance.
Initial assessments suggest that at least 60,000 homes were destroyed or damaged, and that there were significant losses in agriculture, transportation, and health infrastructure. The Juan Bruno Zayas Provincial Hospital in Santiago de Cuba was among the affected facilities. Power and telecommunications remain severely disrupted, affecting an estimated three million people, while mobile coverage has dropped to just 25 percent in some areas.
While the Cuban Red Cross has been on the frontlines carrying out rescues and providing first aid, WFP has distributed food to 180,000 people and UNICEF has set up mobile water treatment units and distributed hygiene kits.
PAHO has transported medical supplies and generators, while the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have supplied seeds and protective materials for agriculture and housing. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has delivered health and dignity kits.
Before the landfall, the United Nations system in Cuba, working under the Anticipatory Action Framework, mobilized US$4 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to pre-position supplies and strengthen early action.
These funds supported emergency food distributions, water purification systems, and medical brigades. Some 2.6 tons of medical supplies had been sent to Cuba. Recovery efforts are now focusing on restoring power, road access, and essential services.
Haiti: Flooding and landslides exacerbate humanitarian crisis
In Haiti, Hurricane Melissa brought torrential rains and caused rivers to overflow in seven departments, including Grand’Anse, Sud, and Nippes. Authorities have confirmed at least 23 deaths, with 13 people still missing, primarily in Petit-Goâve, where the La Digue River overflowed. More than 13,900 people are currently staying in 121 temporary shelters.
The country is grappling with a massive humanitarian crisis and deadly armed violence, so it faces unique challenges in responding to Hurricane Melissa. Currently, UN agencies and NGOs are providing temporary shelters, food, non-food items, and cash assistance to those in need.
Humanitarian teams are working alongside national authorities to address immediate needs. Several days before the hurricane struck, a $4 million CERF allocation enabled humanitarian organizations to prepare supplies in advance.
Aid agencies have prioritized providing emergency shelter, food, and water. WFP and UNICEF are supplying cash assistance and distributing emergency supplies to thousands of families. Meanwhile, health-focused aid agencies are working to ensure the continuity of essential care and disease prevention.
Extensive agricultural losses have been reported, with banana groves, fruit trees, and staple crops destroyed in the south. Authorities warn that saturated soils could trigger further flooding and landslides in the coming days.
Regional coordination
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is working with CDEMA, and other partners across the region to direct public-sector and private-sector contributions. Logistics coordination hubs in Barbados and Panama are dispatching relief items and medical supplies to affected countries.
OCHA teams have been deployed to Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti to support government-led coordination, rapid assessments, and public information efforts. Regional partners have emphasized that anticipatory measures taken early on helped mitigate the hurricane’s worst impacts, but they have also warned that funding shortfalls could hinder the recovery process.
To rebuild homes, restore services, and support affected communities, the next phase will require concerted international assistance.
Looking ahead
Government authorities across the Caribbean remain on high alert as flood risks persist in several areas. Although aid agencies are scaling up response operations, access constraints, infrastructure damage, and communication outages continue to hinder relief efforts.
Hurricane Melissa is another example of the growing ferocity of climate-driven disasters in the Caribbean region. The tropical storm is the second major hurricane to strike Jamaica in 16 months, following Hurricane Beryl in June 2024, leaving many communities still recovering and underscoring the need for sustained support.
Fletcher emphasized that right now, international help is essential for survival.
"Local leadership, global solidarity, and early action are saving lives across the region," he said. "This is the humanitarian reset at work — acting together with greater impact."