IsraAID is responding to Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm in Jamaica's recorded history. The Category 5 hurricane has devastated communities across Jamaica, causing a severe humanitarian crisis. Our emergency team is providing urgent support to affected communities in the hardest-hit parishes. We are conducting a rapid needs assessment and focusing on two critical areas: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS).
Hurricane Melissa caused massive flooding, landslides, wind damage, and loss of life. An estimated 30,000 people are displaced, with over 7,000 in official shelters. Critical infrastructure is crippled, including health centers. Over 66% of the island lost power and hundreds of water systems are offline. Limited access to safe water creates a high risk of waterborne disease. Communities still recovering from 2024's Hurricane Beryl face a historic crisis.
IsraAID's team, with experts from our Global Operations and regional missions in Dominica and Colombia, has deployed to Jamaica bringing both global and local expertise. We are leveraging our extensive experience in Caribbean hurricane response to provide urgent relief and promote long-term recovery. Our response will focus on WASH and MHPSS, providing hygiene and sanitation supplies to prevent the spread of disease, access to safe water, and critical child protection services.
IsraAID is committed to staying for as long as we are needed, working with communities to promote local ownership. Our "future first" approach embeds recovery and rebuilding from the outset. While providing immediate relief, we integrate disaster risk reduction to ensure sustainability. For example, our child protection services offer immediate psychosocial support while also strengthening local systems in the long term. This ensures our emergency response is the first step in a lasting recovery
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