Preparing food for victims of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. UN provides assistance to victims of Hurricane Melissa Humanitarian assistance
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record. The hurricane hit Jamaica on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
According to the press service of the head of the UN, the disaster is heading towards Cuba and the Bahamas. The Dominican Republic and Haiti are already experiencing widespread flooding.
The UN chief expresses solidarity with the governments and people of the countries affected by the hurricane, conveys sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the victims.
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The United Nations is providing full support to countries in the hurricane’s path. Under the guidance of UN Resident Coordinators on the ground and in close collaboration with authorities and humanitarian partners, UN agencies are conducting needs assessments, providing direct assistance to those affected and preparing for the possible impact of the hurricane in other parts of the region. UN teams are already working in disaster zones, and are preparing to increase the volume of assistance provided.
The UN has allocated $4 million each for Haiti and Cuba from the Central Emergency Response Fund. The funds are intended to help prepare for and mitigate the impact of the hurricane through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ prevention program.
Specifically, the World Food Program (WFP) has deployed more than 800 metric tons of food, enough to feed 86,000 people in Haiti for two weeks. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has prepared in advance hygiene kits for 14,500 people, as well as special food for more than 4 thousand children. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has stockpiled materials to support the reproductive health of 5 thousand people and hygiene supplies for 4 thousand people. In addition, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which operates under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), provided medical kits for 11 thousand people.
The UN will also consider raising additional funds to finance the response to the natural disaster.