Red Cross Flanders launches campaign for victims of hurricane Melissa
Red Cross Flanders is launching a fundraising campaign to support the victims of hurricane Melissa, which has caused massive devastation in Jamaica and made landfall on Cuba on Wednesday.
The Jamaican government has declared the island a disaster area. The Red Cross is active in the region and engaged in emergency response operations. Weather conditions remain difficult and damaged communication lines mean the full extent of the disaster is not yet known.
"We are hearing from our colleagues on the ground that there is very heavy damage: buildings, bridges and roads have been destroyed by floods and landslides," said Vincent Verbeecke of Red Cross Flanders.
"It looks like many Jamaicans had underestimated the impact, as some regions that are usually spared from flooding were badly hit. As a result, people are now stuck in their homes, waiting for help."
"We are hearing from our colleagues on the ground that there is very heavy damage"
The Jamaican Red Cross has been fully mobilised. Hundreds of volunteers were deployed to warn and help evacuate residents in high-risk areas. Hundreds of emergency shelters were prepared and stocked with potable water, blankets, hygiene kits and first-aid supplies.
Ambulances are transporting and treating the injured in the shelters. Currently, half a million people are without electricity.
Emergency supplies
Cuba, where the hurricane made landfall on Wednesday morning, saw "considerable damage", president Miguel Díaz-Canel said. More than 700,000 people on the island were evacuated. Red Cross teams are providing assistance with evacuations and the distribution of emergency supplies.
In Haiti, where the population is already suffering from violence and mass displacement, Red Cross volunteers are offering emergency shelter and psychosocial support. Since the passage of Melissa, the death toll due to floods has risen to 20. Ten more people are missing, the island's civil defence said.
Red Cross Flanders is calling for donations to support emergency relief and recovery in the affected countries. Contributions can be made via the Red Cross website or to the emergency account BE53 0000 0000 5353, with the reference "Orkaan Melissa".
A family salvages belongings from the rubble of their home after it collapsed during Hurricane Melissa’s passage through Santiago de Cuba © PHOTO YAMIL LAGE / AFP
Related news
