Conditions are expected to worsen significantly, with a third of the island already experiencing power outages amid what US hurricane forecasters describe as “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”
The World Food Program (WFP) is coordinating a sea transport operation from Barbados, transporting essential supplies from the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WFP itself.
“It is also planned to deploy some 2,000 aid kits once airports reopen and weather conditions allow flights,” said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
In collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and a joint relief center established in Barbados, WFP plays a “pivotal” role in the ongoing disaster response, with support from the European Union and Canada, Dujarric emphasized.
UN steps up relief efforts
The slow-moving hurricane is expected to make landfall overnight local time in Cuba to the northeast, and authorities plan to evacuate around half a million people to safer areas.
In Haiti, authorities have placed the departments of South and Grand’Anse on red alert, while other areas remain on orange alert.
“More than 3,600 people are housed in emergency sites in the department of Grand Sud, and IOM supports the preventive accommodation of 3,000 people and the creation of 100 shelters,” Dujarric stressed.
Additionally, the UN and its partners continue to work closely with the Haitian authorities to support preparedness and early action.
A satellite image shows Hurricane Melissa making landfall near New Hope in western Jamaica.
Here is what UN agencies have prepared so far:
- WFP has prepositioned more than 800 metric tons of food to help 86,000 people in Haiti for two weeks.
- UNICEF has pre-positioned water, sanitation and hygiene kits for some 14,500 people and nutritional supplies for more than 4,000 children.
- The United Nations reproductive health agency (UNFPA) has stockpiled reproductive health kits for 5,000 people and dignity kits for 4,000 people.
- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), led by the WHO, has provided medical kits for about 11,000 people.
‘Tremendous winds’
The latest forecasts indicate winds that will reach 280 kilometers per hour, stronger than initially expected, according to the UNESCO representative in Jamaica, Eric Falt.
“People often overlook storm surges,” he told us, “which can raise sea levels three or four meters.”
He also noted that Hurricane Melissa is a slow-moving storm, which poses a major problem.
“It could remain over an area for 12 hours, perhaps even two days or more, causing a massive buildup of water.”
Emphasizing the Jamaican government’s “extraordinary” level of preparedness and the strong sense of solidarity across the Caribbean, the UNESCO representative noted that, despite extensive UN preparedness efforts, “ultimately, nature dictates its will.”
He added that UN agencies continue to work closely to respond to the evolving situation.