Help the Caribbean Rebuild After Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa Relief Overview

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa across the Caribbean — including Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos, and Bermuda — we’ve created a Hurricane Relief Overview, which you can download from the newsletter summary to help guide your giving.

The overview includes key impacts, current community needs, and trusted relief organizations working directly with residents on the ground. Each organization is hyperlinked so you can easily connect, donate, or send supplies where they are most needed.

Together, we can make sure that support reaches those who need it most — the people rebuilding their homes, families, and futures.

Here is an review of each affected island and how it was impacted by the hurricane.

Affected islands & territories

1. Jamaica

• Made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane (winds ~185 mph) — described as the strongest ever to hit Jamaica.

• Massive infrastructure damage: widespread power losses, flooding, landslides, many communities cut-off. 

• Impact zones include Westmoreland, St Elizabeth parishes among the hardest hit. 

2. Haiti

• Although the centre didn’t hit Haiti directly, outer rainbands produced deadly flooding and landslides—especially in the south-west. 

• Many communities remain isolated; efforts to reach them are hampered by terrain, road damage. 

3. Cuba

• The storm moved on to eastern Cuba as a major hurricane; heavy damage in provinces like Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín. 

• Large evacuations (~735,000 people) and significant infrastructure & crop damage.

4. Bahamas (especially southern/SE Bahamas)

• As Melissa moved north, its outer fringe impacted the Bahamas: heavy rain, flooding, storm surge, power outages. 

• Some smaller islands of the archipelago were significantly affected though less large-scale media focus.

5. Dominican Republic

• While not in the direct land-fall path, the Dominican Republic received heavy rainfall, flooding risk and landslide threats from Melissa’s outer bands. 

6. Turks and Caicos Islands

• Experienced rough seas, storm surge and secondary effects even if the storm didn’t hit direct landfall. 

7. Bermuda

• Though weakened by the time it neared Bermuda, the storm caused power outages (~19,000 customers) and high winds.