"As Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the United Nations said on Tuesday, Oct. 28, that its agencies continue to mobilize supplies to support affected communities. One senior UN official on the island said that government-led preparations have been nothing short of "extraordinary." It was unclear the extent of the damage to Jamaica, with wind speeds estimated to be up to 185 mph."
"The UN said its World Food Program (WFP) is coordinating a sea-lift operation from Barbados, carrying essential supplies from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and WFP itself. "Some 2,000 relief kits are also planned for deployment once airports reopen and the weather conditions permit flights", said UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. In collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and a joint aid hub established in Barbados, Dujarric stated that the WFP is "instrumental" in the ongoing disaster response,"
"The slow-moving hurricane was expected to make landfall overnight local time in Cuba, to the northeast, with authorities planning to evacuate around half a million people to safer ground. In Haiti, authorities have placed the departments of South and Grand'Anse on red alert, while other areas remain on orange alert, Dujarric said. "More than 3,600 people are sheltering in emergency sites in the Grand Sud département, with IOM supporting sheltering of 3,000 people preventively and the setting up of 100 shelters", he said."
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with winds estimated up to 185 mph, prompting a national disaster declaration and measures to prevent price gouging. UN agencies and partners mobilized supplies and coordinated a WFP-led sea lift from Barbados carrying essential items from IOM, UNICEF and WFP, with 2,000 relief kits staged for deployment when airports reopen. WFP operations are coordinated with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and a regional aid hub. The storm moved toward Cuba where large evacuations were planned, and Haiti faced red and orange alerts with thousands sheltered and ongoing preparedness support.
Read at Caribbean Life
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