UNITED NATIONS, Nov 6 (IPS) – In late October, Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, made landfall in the Caribbean, causing catastrophic damage to civilian infrastructure and devastating loss of life. Humanitarian organizations have been mobilized on the ground to provide urgent assistance to affected communities facing widespread home destruction, mass displacement, fatalities and severe shortages of essential services, including food, water, medicine, shelter and electricity.
The United Nations (AND) estimates that approximately six million people in the Caribbean were affected by Hurricane Melissa. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) projects that approximately 1.6 million children in the Caribbean are at risk from the effects of floods, landslides and regional disruption.
As of November 4, at least 84 civilian deaths have been reported: 43 in Haiti, largely due to flooding and landslides, and 35 in Jamaica. The coastal town of Black River, Jamaica, suffered particularly severe damage, with an estimated 90 percent of homes losing their roofs. Other districts across the country also reported extensive infrastructure destruction, including building collapses and widespread flooding.
“All efforts to prepare for the arrival of the hurricane are crucial to limit damage and loss of life in the most vulnerable communities, especially in regions such as the Caribbean,” said Roberto Benes, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “UNICEF is helping to strengthen national capacities to anticipate and respond to climate-related emergencies, and to deliver essential services for children. This is fundamental to protecting those who need it most.”
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN and its partners are on the ground in Jamaica, leading a “robust national response,” in an effort to strengthen humanitarian cooperation, work to restore access to life-saving services and revitalize schools and hospitals in areas most affected.
On November 3, the World Food Program (WFP) launched an emergency plan for the hardest-hit communities in Jamaica. To date, more than 1,500 people have received food aid in the form of parcels containing basic foodstuffs such as rice, lentils, meat and vegetable oil. Another 2,000 food parcels were transported from Barbados.
“More shipments are arriving this week and WFP is facilitating the transport of this aid in coordination with partners across the UN system,” said Brian Bogart, WFP’s country director for the Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean. “WFP plans to assist 200,000 people across the country with food assistance and the transition to cash once markets begin to recover. This is critical to the transition from an immediate humanitarian response to a longer-term recovery strategy, supporting Jamaica’s markets and economy.”
Bogart added that the UN and its partners are working “hand in hand” with the Jamaican government to support relief efforts and strengthen emergency preparedness programs. In Cuba, UN agencies were able to mobilize critical support services ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s landfall, providing $4 million from the OCHA-managed Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
In addition, the Cuban Red Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) are currently working together to spread early warning messages and provide psychosocial support. It is estimated that the delivery of more than 3.5 million alert messages has saved thousands of lives.
In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, WFP was able to provide food to 180,000 people in protection centers across Cuba. “We plan to help 900,000 people for three months and half of those in need for another three months,” said Etienne Labande, WFP country director in Cuba. “The UN in Cuba has completed its response plan, which has been approved by the government and will be officially launched tomorrow in La Habana. It calls for a total of $74 million, including all sectors, and aims to help more than 1 million affected people over a total of 12 months.”
UNICEF was also able to assist with water purification kits and hygiene kits for thousands of people, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) was able to assist with shelter resources to protect citizens whose homes were destroyed or damaged, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provided health and dignity kits.
Despite this progress, humanitarian experts continue to emphasize the urgency of the situation, pointing to serious access restrictions and calling for strengthened humanitarian cooperation and a steady flow of funds.
“In times like these, international solidarity is not just a principle – it is a lifeline,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and emergency response coordinator. “Local leadership, global solidarity and early action are saving lives across the region. This is the humanitarian reset at work – acting together with greater impact.”
IPS UN office report
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