Episcopal Relief & Development: Responding to Hurricane Melissa

Episcopal Relief & Development is in close contact with our partners, including local dioceses and agencies in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, as Hurricane Melissa continues to cause widespread devastation throughout the Caribbean region.

With wind speeds of 185 mph, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on October 29 as a Category 5 storm. The storm is the strongest hurricane in Jamaica’s history and one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record. Causing major damage to public infrastructure, Hurricane Melissa has left approximately 77% of the island without power and displaced more than 6,000 people. A precise death toll and full understanding of damages are still difficult to determine as many areas remain inaccessible. However, severe flooding and landslides, dangerous storm surges and upwards of 30 deaths have been reported across Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti. 

“Our local partners are assessing the needs of their community as the damage and long-term effects of this disaster become clearer,” said Eric Weaver, Director of Global Disaster Response & Resilience, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We stand by, ready to support them and the communities they serve as we learn more about the extent of damages and how best to target our response.”

Please pray for the people impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Donations to the Hurricane Relief Fund will support Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners as they respond.