At least 19 people have died in Jamaica and 30 in Haiti following Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to hit the Caribbean.
At least 19 people have died in Jamaica due to Hurricane Melissa, Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon said, as rescue operations continue and authorities struggle to deliver aid to isolated communities. “There are entire communities that seem to be marooned and areas that seem to be flattened,” Dixon stated, describing “devastating” scenes in the island’s western regions.
Electricity and water remain cut off in much of the country, while food supplies are dwindling. The main airport in Kingston has reopened, but smaller regional airports remain partly operational, hampering aid delivery.
Satellite imagery shows entire villages destroyed, while residents in Westmoreland parish told the BBC that “words can’t explain how devastating” the storm has been.
Hurricane Melissa also killed at least 30 people in Haiti and disrupted millions of lives in Cuba. The UN, US, and UK have pledged emergency aid, with relief agencies coordinating efforts across the affected Caribbean nations.