Historic storm leaves hundreds of thousands without homes
Hurricane Melissa—with violent winds yet moving at an alarmingly slow pace—made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane. One of the most powerful Caribbean storms on record, Melissa crawled across Jamaica and then moved on across the Caribbean Sea. In addition to Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba suffered severe damage as heavy winds and dangerous floodwaters washed debris and homes away.
Jamaica
This power-stacked storm brought winds up to 185 mph and torrential rainfall to Jamaica, leaving homes in ruins, streets covered in mud and debris, and people with no electricity.
Hospital workers continued to care for patients, even when the power went out and they were forced to use flashlights and lanterns to see. One hospital staff member described having to dodge pieces of flying glass and other debris as the storm blew out windows and shook the facility.
A contact said, “It’s heartbreaking . . . to see the number of people who have lost their homes. They have nowhere to turn, hope looks bleak. But they have no choice but to move on for their families and children. These people need help.”
“It’s some of the worst hurricane damage we’ve ever seen,” reports one of our staff members traveling in Jamaica right now. The research team traveled down to Ballards Valley in the south. Near Black River and the coast, people are holding signs begging for food and water. “As you would expect, the sky is the limit on how many roofs we could do,” says our staff.
Cuba
After hitting Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa barreled north towards Cuba, making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm’s relentless rain continued, winds blew violently, walls collapsed, and roofs ripped off as sandbags used to secure them flew through the air. In the dark of night, Cubans no doubt wondered: What is happening? Am I ready to die? When will this night end? In the words of a Cuban journalist, “The night lasted too long.”
Rampant inflation, severe food shortages, and a battered economy already ravage Cuba. Now survivors grapple with the desperate reality of having their homes reduced to rubble and their meager possessions gone. “When the hurricane passed it left my home in ruins,” a survivor shared. “The whole roof fell on my bed. Everything is destroyed.” The Cuban government says more than 700,000 Cubans are left without homes. Families are living under makeshift tents along the roadside.
We anticipate a large-scale response in Cuba including canned chicken from our cannery in Pennsylvania, hygiene items, shelter, and other aid.
Haiti
While Melissa never made landfall in Haiti, the storm’s massive size unleashed heavy rainfall in the Petit Goave area for days. Haitians watched in terror as flood waters kept rising.
Many of Haiti’s houses are made with mud walls and thatch roofs, making them especially vulnerable. When the La Diego River burst its banks, the rushing water swept away trees, vehicles, and houses. A Haitian mother shared, “We’ve lost both people and possessions. We don’t even have a place to sleep. We’re out on the streets with nowhere to rest, hungry, and suffering . . .”
As of this writing, contacts tell us 30 Haitians have died, but the death toll is expected to rise. People are digging through rubble and debris, searching desperately for missing loved ones. In a nation already grappling with severe poverty and gang violence, Hurricane Melissa’s destruction is devastating.
Ways to help
CAM is working toward providing assistance to enable contacts to distribute food, medical supplies, shelter, and other emergency aid to hurricane victims. Currently, we estimate approximately $750,000 will be needed for the project. Our prayer is that the physical aid will reveal the greater gift of God’s love to the suffering people affected by the hurricane.
