Hurricane Melissa has killed at least 75 people in the Caribbean, with Haitian authorities reporting 43 fatalities and 13 people missing and Jamaican officials reporting at least 32 deaths, officials and aid groups said. The Category 5 storm caused widespread flooding and structural damage that has prompted warnings of a potential humanitarian crisis without rapid delivery of aid.
Haiti’s government reported that the storm flooded nearly 12,000 homes and destroyed almost 200, and that the confirmed death toll has risen to 43 while 13 people remain unaccounted for. The figures were released as local authorities continued to assess damage in affected areas and to search for the missing, according to the government report. In Jamaica, officials put the confirmed death toll at 32 but cautioned that the number could increase as emergency teams reach more communities and complete assessments.
The destruction of housing and the scale of flooding in Haiti increase the likelihood of large numbers of displaced people and acute need for basic services, relief organizations say. Mike Bassett of World Vision International warned that without prompt delivery of food, shelter, clean water and medical assistance, the situation could develop into a broader humanitarian emergency. Bassett’s assessment underscored the urgency facing responders working in areas where homes have been inundated and infrastructure disrupted.
The storm’s intensity and the extent of flooding have complicated rescue and recovery efforts. In communities where dozens or hundreds of dwellings were affected, residents face immediate needs for temporary shelter and for restoration of utilities and sanitation systems to prevent secondary health crises. Authorities and aid agencies typically prioritize search-and-rescue, emergency medical care and distribution of lifesaving supplies in the first days after storms, but officials have not yet released a comprehensive timeline for relief operations in the hardest-hit localities.
The counts released by Haiti and Jamaica reflect preliminary tallies that are expected to be refined as officials gain access to more isolated or heavily damaged neighborhoods. Jamaican officials’ caution that their death toll may rise follows a pattern after major storms, when communications disruptions and blocked roads delay reporting from some communities. In Haiti, where nearly 12,000 homes were flooded, the number of people requiring immediate assistance is likely to remain high until damage assessments and sheltering plans are in place.
International and local humanitarian actors face logistical constraints in delivering aid where roads and ports have been affected by the storm. World Vision and other relief organizations commonly coordinate with governments and local partners to prioritize the most urgent needs; Bassett’s warning highlighted the potential consequences if such coordination and resource flows are delayed. Exact details of planned deployments, donations or bilateral support have not been released in the reports provided.
Authorities in both countries are continuing to monitor conditions and to update casualty and damage figures as teams complete on-the-ground assessments. With significant numbers still unaccounted for in Haiti and the possibility of additional fatalities in Jamaica, officials and aid groups have signaled that rapid relief efforts will be critical in the coming days to prevent further loss of life and to address the immediate survival needs of affected populations. Further updates are expected as search-and-rescue operations progress and as assessments of shelter, water, health and infrastructure needs are finalized.