Humanitarian aid
One year after Hurricane Melissa: Red Cross reaches over 91,000 Jamaicans with aid
A year after the Category‑5 storm that hit more than half of Jamaica’s population, the Jamaica Red Cross has assisted over 91,000 people, but many families remain displaced and livelihoods are still fragile.
Displacement and lingering impacts
Hurricane Melissa made landfall on 28 October 2025 as a Category 5 system, affecting roughly 1.6 million people – more than half of the island’s residents. While electricity and water services have largely been restored, thousands of households continue to live with relatives, in temporary shelters, or in homes that were only partially repaired. Coastal and rural communities report loss of crops, fishing gear and small enterprises, leaving many without savings and facing high repair costs. In this context, the Jamaica Red Cross reports that it has reached more than 91,000 individuals with humanitarian assistance.
Cash assistance driving recovery
Cash and voucher support has become the centerpiece of the recovery effort. To date, 7,161 households have received a total of J$486.1 million (about USD 3 million), marking the largest cash programme ever implemented by the Red Cross in Jamaica and the wider Americas. Recipients have used the funds for food, school fees, medicines, roof repairs and to restart small businesses, thereby stimulating local markets. The programme will run through October 2027, with an additional plan to reach 1,600 rural households to help farming and fishing families rebuild livelihoods and improve resilience to future hazards.
Health, water safety and funding outlook
Health and water security have also been priorities. More than 10,100 adults and children have received mental‑health and psychosocial support, while 13,538 households were provided with jerrycans and lidded buckets equipped with taps to store water safely, a measure aimed at reducing dengue risk amid a leptospirosis outbreak that claimed ten lives. An IFRC emergency clinic supported 23 health sites and shelters, and its equipment was later transferred to the Western Regional Health Authority. The response is financed through the IFRC Emergency Appeal launched in October 2025, which seeks CHF 19 million to aid 180,000 people over 24 months and is currently 62.18 % funded, underscoring the need for continued contributions.