What is the human cost of Hurricane Melissa across the Caribbean? | DW News

Key Concepts

• Hurricane Melissa: A powerful hurricane that significantly impacted the Caribbean region.
• Category 5 Hurricane: The highest classification for a hurricane, indicating extreme wind speeds and potential for catastrophic damage.
• Category 2 Hurricane: A less intense but still dangerous category of hurricane.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): An organization providing humanitarian aid and support during disasters.
• World Food Programme (WFP): A United Nations organization that provides food assistance during emergencies.
• Prepositioning of Supplies: Storing essential items in advance in strategic locations to facilitate rapid distribution during a disaster.
• Disaster Area Declaration: An official declaration by authorities recognizing the severity of a disaster and enabling access to resources and aid.
• Waterborne Diseases: Illnesses transmitted through contaminated water, a significant risk after floods.
• Compound Crisis: A situation where multiple crises occur simultaneously or sequentially, exacerbating the overall impact.
• Hygiene Kits: Supplies to maintain personal cleanliness and reduce the risk of disease.
• Water Purification Supplies: Products used to make water safe for consumption.
• Tarps: Waterproof sheets used for temporary shelter.
• Cooking Kits: Supplies to enable basic food preparation.
• Mental Health Support: Providing psychological assistance to individuals affected by trauma and stress.
• Landslides: The rapid downhill movement of rock, soil, and debris, a risk in mountainous regions during heavy rainfall.
• Storm Surges: An abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide.
• Evacuation Centers: Designated safe locations where people can seek shelter during a disaster.
• Logistics: The detailed coordination of complex operations involving people, facilities, and supplies.
• Recovery Efforts: Actions taken to help communities rebuild and return to normalcy after a disaster.

Hurricane Melissa's Impact and Response in the Caribbean

Impact on Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in eastern Cuba after causing devastation in Jamaica. Initially a Category 5 storm, the highest classification, it inflicted widespread damage across Jamaica. Authorities reported extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads, hospitals, and schools. The storm brought 300 kilometer per hour wind speeds and 750 millimeters of rain, leading to flooded streets, power outages, downed trees, and severed telecommunications. Storm surges also contributed to inland flooding. Due to Jamaica's mountainous terrain, there was a significant risk of landslides. The parishes of Manchester, Clarendon, and St. Elizabeth, which were also affected by Hurricane Eta the previous year, were hit again. The entire island of Jamaica has been declared a disaster area.

Impact on Cuba

Upon reaching eastern Cuba, Hurricane Melissa had weakened to a Category 2 storm. However, Cuban authorities reported that more than 700,000 people had been moved to safety. Forecasters warned that even at this reduced intensity, the storm could still cause catastrophic damage. Similar to Jamaica, infrastructure was affected, and communities with fewer resources and limited access to services were disproportionately impacted.

Impact on Haiti

In neighboring Haiti, flooding triggered by Hurricane Melissa resulted in at least 20 fatalities.

Compound Crisis in Cuba

Cuba was already contending with several outbreaks of disease prior to Hurricane Melissa's arrival. The hurricane's impact has therefore created a "compound crisis," exacerbating existing health challenges and creating new ones, such as the potential for waterborne diseases and outbreaks in the storm's aftermath.

Humanitarian Response and Support

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Loyce Pace, Regional Director for the Americas at the IFRC, highlighted the extensive damage in Jamaica, affecting not only southern and western areas but also Kingston. She confirmed that shelters and supplies were in place to support communities before the storm. The IFRC is working with the Jamaican Red Cross to survey the damage and understand the full extent of the impact on lives.

In Cuba and Haiti, the IFRC, working with their respective Red Cross societies, has prepositioned essential supplies. These include:

• Hygiene kits: To help people maintain personal cleanliness and reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.
• Cleaning kits: For sanitation purposes.
• Water purification supplies: To ensure access to safe drinking water.
• Tarps: For temporary shelter.
• Cooking kits: To enable people to continue daily life as much as possible.

Beyond immediate physical needs, the IFRC emphasizes the importance of mental health support, recognizing the anxiety, stress, and trauma caused by such severe storms, especially a Category 5 hurricane. They stress that first aid encompasses both physical and mental well-being.

World Food Programme (WFP)

Daniel Longhurst, Deputy Country Director for the WFP in Barbados, provided an update on the situation in the region, particularly Jamaica. He emphasized the urgency of the needs, which include:

• Food assistance: The WFP has 5,000 food kits ready for dispatch, capable of feeding 15,000 people for a week, via air or sea. They are also sourcing additional commodities from the region.
• Essential supplies: Support for other critical items is needed.
• Shelter assistance: Providing temporary housing solutions.
• Restoration of telecommunications: Re-establishing communication networks is crucial.
• Logistics support: Assisting the government in getting ports operational and managing the flow of aid.

The WFP is supporting the Jamaican government's response, which is leading the relief efforts. Once the storm passed, the WFP's focus shifted to on-the-ground needs assessments to efficiently target assistance to those most affected. They are also looking ahead to recovery efforts, recognizing that many people have lost homes, incomes, crops, and fishing equipment, and will require support to rebuild their lives.

Preparedness and Evacuation Efforts

Pre-Hurricane Preparations

Extensive preparations were made in Jamaica for Hurricane Melissa, despite its unpredictable nature and rapid intensification. The government had 800 evacuation centers open and issued advance warnings for people to move to safety. The Jamaica Defense Force was deployed to assist disaster management authorities in evacuating residents and coordinating the response.

The WFP had prepositioned stocks in Barbados and had agreements in Jamaica for food packing. They also established staging areas with generators and telecommunications equipment across the country to facilitate coordination and distribution of supplies. Other UN partners also had their own prepositioned supplies in Barbados, which were to be dispatched.

Challenges of Unpredictability

Despite these preparations, the highly unpredictable nature of Hurricane Melissa, including its rapid build-up in force and unclear path, presented significant challenges.

Conclusion

Hurricane Melissa has inflicted severe damage across the Caribbean, with Jamaica bearing the brunt of its initial impact as a Category 5 storm. Cuba and Haiti have also experienced significant consequences, including flooding and loss of life. The humanitarian response, led by national authorities and supported by organizations like the IFRC and WFP, is focused on providing immediate relief, including food, shelter, and essential supplies, while also addressing the critical need for mental health support and long-term recovery. The event underscores the importance of robust disaster preparedness, including prepositioning of supplies and effective evacuation plans, while also highlighting the challenges posed by increasingly unpredictable and intense weather events.