A powerful Category 5 storm, Hurricane Melissa, is bearing down on Jamaica, threatening catastrophic results. Sustained winds are as high as 175 miles per hour, creating dangerously high storm surges, and because the storm is moving unusually slowly, parts of the island could receive as much as 40 inches of rain, leading to flash floods, landslides and extensive infrastructure damage.
The most powerful storm to hit Jamaica in 35 years, Hurricane Melissa is predicted to continue its track north, where it could cause significant damage in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and parts of the Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos, in the following days.
International Medical Corps is working closely with local authorities—including Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, its Ministry of Health, and the National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation—to coordinate response efforts, and is working with local health and emergency partners.
Building on our successful collaboration during Hurricane Beryl—where we provided critical medical support to multiple health centers and delivered training in mass casualty management and basic emergency care to first responders and hospital leaders—we have prepositioned medical, wound-care, hygiene and food supplies, and have an emergency response team ready to deploy as soon as conditions permit.
Damage to the island is expected to be significant, with healthcare facilities damaged or destroyed, communications systems degraded and entire communities cut off from access. We urgently need your support to ensure access to essential services for affected families. This is a rapidly evolving situation, so please check this page to see the latest updates.