Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation across Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti, affecting nearly six million people. In response, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up its life-saving relief operations to assist those most impacted. WFP has started emergency food distributions, with additional supplies set to arrive in the coming days. The agency had already provided cash transfers and early warnings ahead of the storm, helping to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
In Jamaica, the parish of St. Elizabeth—known as the country’s agricultural hub—has been severely affected, with widespread destruction of homes and farms. WFP has begun delivering food kits containing rice, lentils, canned goods, and oil to families in the hardest-hit areas. Initial supplies were airlifted from Barbados, and further shipments are on the way. To support distribution, WFP has deployed warehouses and logistics equipment at key sites, including Black River. The organization aims to reach up to 200,000 people with a mix of food aid and cash assistance, as requested by national authorities.
In Cuba, Hurricane Melissa caused extensive flooding, power outages, and crop damage. Prior to the storm, WFP and the Cuban Government had prepositioned food supplies for 275,000 people. Following the hurricane, distributions have already reached 181,000 evacuees. WFP now plans to support 900,000 people with emergency food assistance for up to six months, depending on ongoing needs.
In Haiti, the southern coast was hit hardest, with homes and infrastructure severely damaged. Before the hurricane, WFP provided anticipatory cash transfers worth US$900,000 to 50,000 people and sent safety messages to 2.5 million residents. As displaced families return home, they are receiving food rations and cash assistance to help them recover. So far, WFP has reached nearly 13,000 people and plans to expand its response to 190,000 across affected regions.
Regionally, WFP’s Caribbean Logistics Hub in Barbados and the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Panama are coordinating the transport of emergency supplies. The EU, France, the Netherlands, and the United States are providing logistical and air transport support to deliver aid to remote communities. WFP has launched a US$74 million appeal to assist 1.1 million people and strengthen emergency logistics and communications across the region. Donors and private partners have already begun pledging contributions, while individuals are encouraged to donate to ongoing relief efforts.
WFP’s early preparedness activities, supported by CERF, ECHO, the United States, Canada, and Ireland, were crucial in reducing the storm’s impact. These advance actions—ranging from stockpiling supplies to issuing early warnings—helped save lives and will play a key role in the region’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa’s devastating effects.
