As Tropical Storm Melissa moves across the Caribbean, bringing heavy rains and strong winds, the World Food Programme (WFP) is coordinating with regional governments and partners to minimize the storm’s impact and assist vulnerable communities. With forecasts warning that the storm could intensify into a major hurricane, WFP’s focus is on anticipatory and preparedness actions to safeguard lives, reduce damages, and accelerate recovery in affected areas.
WFP’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Lola Castro, emphasized the importance of early action to protect those most at risk, including women, children, and the elderly. She noted that prevention is not only more effective but also more cost-efficient than responding to a full-scale crisis, especially amid constrained global funding.
In Haiti, WFP and the government have sent over 3.5 million text messages with practical guidance on disaster preparedness. Additionally, around 45,000 people are receiving anticipatory e-money transfers totaling $900,000 to meet urgent needs and protect livelihoods before the storm hits.
In Jamaica, WFP is working closely with the government and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to strengthen logistics, telecommunications, and emergency response systems. The organization has also collaborated with the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility to ensure quick financial support for vulnerable households through national social protection programs if the storm triggers insurance mechanisms.
In Cuba’s eastern region, WFP and government authorities have prepositioned food supplies for 275,000 people for up to 60 days, ensuring an immediate response capability in case of major disruptions. Similarly, in the Dominican Republic, over 4,000 vulnerable households in flood-prone areas are receiving cash assistance to prepare, with emergency food aid ready to reach up to 6,000 families if necessary.
Regionally, the WFP Caribbean Logistics Hub in Barbados has over 500 pallets of relief items prepositioned for rapid deployment by air or sea, while the UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Panama is ready to dispatch more than 2,000 pallets of emergency supplies and deploy its Field Emergency Team. These collective efforts ensure that countries can respond swiftly to the storm’s impact.
WFP’s anticipatory and preparedness actions are made possible through support from partners including the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), and the governments of the United States, Canada, and Ireland.
