More than 50 people have died due to Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, mainly in Haiti and Jamaica, where rescue teams are working hard to reach the most affected and isolated areas. Melissa, which became a post-tropical cyclone on Friday after being the most powerful hurricane of the current Atlantic season, has caused catastrophic damage to homes and critical infrastructure, with assessments still ongoing. According to Haiti's Civil Protection Directorate, at least 31 people have died and 21 are still missing due to rains and flooding. The highest number of victims, at least 23 including 10 children, was recorded in Petit-Goâve, on the southern outskirts of Port-au-Prince, due to flooding caused by the rising waters of the La Digue River. In Jamaica, Minister of Education and Information Dana Morris Dixon stated that there are 19 confirmed deaths, but they have "quite credible reports" that the number could be higher. Morris Dixon detailed that there may be at least four bodies in Westmoreland and one in Saint Elizabeth, both districts in the west of the island. "The devastation in the west is unimaginable," the minister assured at a press conference. The hurricane, which reached category 5, also caused four deaths in Panama and one more in the Dominican Republic this week. On Friday, Hurricane weakened to a post-tropical cyclone as it moved away from land, but storm surges will continue to affect the northeast coast of the US for two more days. To support logistics, eight to ten large helicopters from the US government are on their way, which, as Vaz explained, "have the capacity to transport and treat patients and to transport many relief supplies." The leader of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) delegation for English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, Necephor Mghendi, stated today that Jamaican families who "have lost everything" due to Melissa "will take years to recover." More than 6,000 people are in evacuation centers only in western Jamaica, the area hardest hit by rains and floods. Haiti's Presidential Transitional Council (PTC) promised on Friday that it, along with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, would adopt "urgent" measures to assist the victims. In a statement, the PTC confirmed that "aid is being sent to local communities," reiterated its solidarity with the victims' families, and the state's "determination" to "accompany all citizens affected by this tragedy," especially in vulnerable areas. Meanwhile, the Jamaican government has established several committees to address this crisis, the main one being the Assistance and Recovery Committee. Over 60% of the population remains without electricity and telephone connection is limited, which, combined with the blocking of numerous roads, complicates communication with isolated communities.
