WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation after crossing Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas, with severe effects also felt in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and parts of Central America.
The hurricane caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and crops, leaving thousands displaced.
However, extensive storm preparation by governments, assisted by UN agencies and other NGOs, appears to have helped lessen the impact and saved lives in many areas, the UN aid coordination office reported on Thursday.
In Cuba, the hurricane struck the province of Santiago de Cuba with winds exceeding 200 km per hour and six hours of torrential rain. 'Melissa is one of the three most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in Cuba and the strongest worldwide this year,' said Francisco Pichon, UN Resident Coordinator for Cuba, during a press briefing in New York.
'More than three million people were exposed to life-threatening conditions, and nearly 240 communities are cut off due to flooding and landslides,' he added.
In Haiti, the storm's slow movement brought flash floods, landslides, and severe damage to crops.
'At least 24 people have died, 17 were injured, and 18 remain missing,' said Gregoire Goodstein, the UN's interim Humanitarian Coordinator. Around 15,000 people are currently sheltering in more than 120 temporary facilities.
Haiti faces the storm amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis, with 1.4 million people displaced, widespread hunger affecting half the population, and cholera outbreaks in some areas.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News