Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa - Situation Report No. 2 (as of 3 November)

This report is produced by OCHA in support of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 1 to 3 November 2025. The next report will be issued on or around 5 November 2025.

KEY POINTS

• 1.5-1.6 million people affected across Jamaica, more than half the national population with widespread losses of housing, livelihoods, power, and water access.

• 32 deaths confirmed, with additional people still missing as search and rescue operations continue.

• Critical needs include safe water, fuel for hospitals, emergency food assistance (estimated up to 359,000 people), and mental health and nutrition support, especially for breastfeeding mothers and children

• The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US $4 million to Jamaica to scale up life-saving humanitarian assistance in coordination with the Government and partners.

  1.6m Estimated number of people affected
  Source: PAHO

  359k People in need of food assistance
  Source: WFP

  32 Deaths confirmed
  Source: Government of Jamaica

  86 Heritage sites impacted
  Source: UNESCO

  $4m CERF Allocation to Jamaica

  Source: OCHA

  SITUATION OVERVIEW

  Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica’s south coast near New Hope, Westmoreland, on 28 October as a Category 5 storm, inflicting catastrophic damage across the southern and western regions. According to the Government of Jamaica, at least 32 deaths have been confirmed, with dozens of people still unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue. An estimated 1.5-1.6 million people, over half the national population, have been affected by the hurricane through loss of housing, livelihoods, and prolonged power and water outages. At the peak, approximately 25,000 people were in emergency shelters; however, the true number of displaced people remains unknown as many have reportedly left shelters due to limited access to relief and are now living in unverified locations.

  Infrastructure damage is extensive: over 130 major roads were initially blocked, large portions of the power grid failed, and communication networks were disrupted island-wide. Several hospitals and clinics in the impact zone were damaged or rendered non-functional most notably, the Black River Hospital, which was destroyed, prompting the deployment of a Type 2 Emergency Medical Team (EMT) and plans for additional deployments. Health services remain overstretched, with several facilities operating above capacity and dependent on generators amid critical fuel shortages, while water scarcity continues to hamper service delivery in affected regions. Road access remains challenging; travel times to western parishes such as Black River and Negril have increased significantly due to congestion and debris. The Government of Jamaica is prioritizing clearance of major roads, but secondary routes and community-level debris removal remain critical to restoring access for relief and recovery operations.

  According to the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), nutrition and dietetic services report only a 3–5-day food supply in some hospitals, underscoring disrupted food pipelines and the need for urgent support for breastfeeding mothers, pregnant and lactating women, and safe infant feeding for non-breastfed children. The World Food Programme (WFP) projects that between 98,000 and 359,000 people may require food assistance based on food-insecurity and poverty indicators an estimate to be refined once post-impact assessments are complete.

  Mental-health needs are increasing across affected communities, particularly among children and health workers, with PAHO/WHO deploying a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) specialist to coordinate interventions. Damaged infrastructure, fuel shortages, and constrained logistics continue to impede assistance delivery, while unsafe water and crowding in shelters elevate risks of respiratory, vector and water-borne diseases, emphasizing the need for strengthened WASH, health surveillance, and vector control measures.