UN: Hurricane Melissa response under way in Caribbean; severe damage reported in eastern Cuba

The UN spokesperson provided a regional update after Hurricane Melissa, saying the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports supplies are moving, coordination hubs are active, and emergency teams are supporting government responses in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti.

In Cuba, preliminary assessments indicate severe damage across the eastern provinces of Santiago, Holguín, Granma and Guantánamo to homes, roads and health facilities. The briefing said a two-person UN team was deployed to support a UN action plan for recovery and that the regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean is supplying additional support.

In Jamaica, the government is leading a robust national response with UN colleagues supporting coordination and rapid needs assessments; assessment teams led by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency are due to arrive to take part in multi-agency assessments involving FAO, UNICEF, UNFPA and IOM. OCHA also deployed a team from Panama to reinforce coordination and information management.

In Haiti, where the country is already confronting a large humanitarian crisis and pervasive armed violence, UN agencies and partners are supporting temporary shelters and providing food, non-food items and cash assistance.

The spokesperson said the UN will continue to support national authorities and partners as assessments refine needs and response plans.