UN mobilizes logistics hub and teams after Hurricane Melissa damages Jamaica, Cuba and The Bahamas
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Summary
Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage across Jamaica, Cuba and The Bahamas. The UN and partners are delivering assistance, dispatching reinforcement teams and using a Caribbean logistics hub in Barbados for food kit airlifts and sea shipments.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Hurricane Melissa left a trail of devastation in Jamaica, Cuba and The Bahamas, damaging homes, infrastructure and crops and affecting health facilities, the UN spokesperson said.
The UN and partners mobilized before the storm and are delivering assistance and supporting damage assessments, coordination and logistics in close collaboration with national authorities. A three-person OCHA team is deploying to Jamaica to reinforce the resident coordinator's office and support national emergency operations; additional specialist teams remain on standby should governments request them.
The World Food Programme has begun logistics operations from its Caribbean regional hub in Barbados, including airlifting 2,000 emergency food kits and arranging additional items to arrive by sea, the briefing said. Partners are providing logistics support across health, sanitation, early recovery and protection activities.
Why it matters: Early mobilization and regional logistics capacity can speed relief to affected communities and support national systems during the initial emergency phase.
What remains unclear: Damage assessments and exact funding needs are still being finalized; the briefing said further specialist teams could deploy on request.
