The United Nations reported severe humanitarian impacts from Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, with Jamaica and Cuba among the hardest hit.

In Jamaica, authorities told UN partners that about 1,500,000 people were affected by the storm, at least 32 deaths had been confirmed and nearly 36,000 people were in need of food assistance. More than 100,000 housing structures were damaged and at least 30 communities remained cut off with severe disruptions to electricity, telecommunications and road access in some parishes.

In Cuba, the UN launched a plan of action to assist about 1,000,000 of the hardest hit people, and OCHA reported that roughly 120,000 people remained in shelters because of continued flooding, overflowing rivers and landslides; 29 communities were still isolated. OCHA said more than 45,000 housing structures, nearly 500 health facilities and over 1,500 educational centers sustained damage.

The UN spokesperson said an OCHA‑led 16‑member UN disaster assessment and coordination team is working with governments and partners to coordinate relief. The World Food Programme is airlifting food from Barbados sufficient for 6,000 households for up to a week.

Why it matters: Large affected populations and damage to critical infrastructure increase short‑term humanitarian needs and complicate relief operations across multiple islands.