Melissa Devastates Jamaica; Aid Also Headed to Cuba

Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a record-strength Category 5, devastating western Jamaica—particularly St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland and St. James—and leaving thousands displaced, with widespread power and water outages and many roads blocked. Official casualty reports continue to change as teams reach isolated areas, with counts ranging from at least 19 to as many as 32 and additional unconfirmed fatalities under investigation. The Jamaican government is leading relief while U.N. agencies and international partners scale up: the World Food Programme has begun food distributions and logistics support and plans to assist up to 200,000 people, and the U.N. has allocated $4 million. International assistance arriving includes a French navy ship that delivered 40 tonnes of aid, Direct Relief preparing roughly US$1 million in medical supplies, U.S. and volunteer groups conducting relief and evacuation flights, the CCRIF providing a record $70.8 million payout, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean approving emergency grants, with El Salvador also sending supplies and personnel. Some airports (Montego Bay, Kingston) have reopened and initial convoys and airdrops have reached certain areas, but survivors report slow aid arrival, soaring evacuation costs, and urgent needs for food, water, medical care and shelter. Separately, the U.S. government announced a $3 million humanitarian aid package to assist Cuban communities affected by Melissa, channeled through the Catholic Church to bypass Cuban government intermediaries.