Melissa, “the most powerful hurricane on Earth this year,” threatens millions in the Caribbean

Before the hurricane reached Jamaica, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation to the Caribbean, Nicéphore Mgende, said that the hurricane, which was classified as a category five, “It will be the strongest on Earth this year.”which puts one million people in direct danger, “Including families still recovering from Hurricane Beryl.” Which struck Jamaica just 16 months ago.

During his remarks at the UN agencies’ press conference in Geneva, Mginde, who was speaking from Trinidad and Tobago, added: “Roofs will be tested. Flood waters will rise. Isolation will become a harsh reality for many.”.

He explained that while Hurricane Melissa is moving at a very slow speed – about six kilometers per hour – the heavy rains and strong winds are expected to cause severe damage to infrastructure, isolating local communities, and cutting off basic services for days, if not weeks. And he said: “The humanitarian threat is serious and immediate.”.

He added that the authorities in Jamaica have prepared about 800 shelters, and that volunteers are supporting evacuations, helping to distribute relief materials, and promoting early warning messages.

Saving the largest number of lives

Sustained winds of 280 kilometers per hour were reported as the system headed west toward Jamaica on Tuesday morning. Heavy rains continue in the region, with deaths already reported in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

Anne-Claire Fontaine, a tropical cyclone specialist at the World Meteorological Organization, said at the same press conference, citing the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, that “A complete structural collapse is likely.”hostess: “I’ve never seen that phrase before. It’s going to have a huge impact in Jamaica.”.

For his part, Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said: “The priority of action is to save as many lives as possible in the event of a disaster.”explaining that “This is why we are continuing evacuations, building shelters and providing advice.”.

Larquet said that a proactive mechanism, facilitated by the United Nations, had been activated in Cuba and Haiti, which were in the path of the hurricane, resulting in the allocation of $4 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund for the pre-positioning of food, water, hygiene and health supplies.