Last Updated: December 3, 2025
Situation:
On Sunday, October 26, Hurricane Melissa intensified into a powerful Category 4 storm as it moved northwest through the Caribbean Sea, setting its sights on Jamaica in what the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned “could be the strongest direct landfall” Jamaica has ever recorded. The storm has since strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 175 mph and stronger gusts, making it the strongest storm on the planet this year. Officials have evacuated low-lying areas and opened hundreds of shelters in anticipation of life-threatening conditions.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall around 1 pm ET on Tuesday, October 28. Across the island, more than 650 shelters were activated, highlighting the strength of preparedness efforts. However, substantial challenges remain in reaching the most remote and at-risk groups. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a “disaster area” in efforts to prevent price gouging as food, water and other goods are in short supply. More than half a million people in Jamaica were without power, with the most significant impact in western Jamaica. The storm then made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday, October 29 as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph—isolating hundreds of rural communities—before moving toward Haiti. By Thursday, October 30, the storm had weakened as it passed through the Bahamas and toward Bermuda, where it made its closest approach the following morning, on Friday, October 31, about 150 miles north-northwest from land as a Category 1 storm. By 11:00 AM ET, Melissa was downgraded to a “powerful” post-tropical cyclone.
In total, the storm caused at least 75 casualties, with 43 people confirmed dead in Haiti and 32 in Jamaica. In Haiti, at least 10 children were among the casualties, and more are reported missing. Rescue and recovery operations have begun, but efforts have been hampered by widespread power outages, communications failures and blocked roads. Damage assessments are ongoing, but reports have already begun to show the widespread destruction across the Caribbean—particularly Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, where damaging winds and severe flooding destroyed homes and tore down utility poles.
CWS Response:
CWS is actively monitoring the situation in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, working closely with local partners to assess damage and coordinate relief. While full assessments will take time, CWS already shipped 19,200 Hygiene Kits, which arrived in Jamaica on Tuesday, November 4, to support individuals and families affected by the storm.
CWS Response in Haiti
In Haiti, CWS is responding in the commune of Pestel (Grand Anse Department) and the Lower Northwest region (Northwest Department), working with the same experienced team that led recovery efforts after Hurricane Matthew and the 2021 earthquake. Our field staff recently assessed damage to schools, homes, cisterns and agriculture—including visits to 3 schools, 12 cisterns and 17 houses in Pestel—and met with local farmer associations to evaluate agricultural losses and prioritize needs. Below are the key findings from these recent assessments.
- Schools and Shelters: Schools rebuilt by CWS after Hurricane Matthew once again served as emergency shelters during Hurricane Melissa, including the National School of Mentor, which hosted 40 people. Other schools, such as Toma Eli National School and Pavillon National School, which sheltered an additional 15 people during the storm, sustained damage to cisterns, roofs and structures. Despite these challenges, schools provided critical refuge during the storm, underscoring their role as community lifelines.
- Homes and Cisterns: Homes constructed following the 2021 earthquake—42 houses supporting 229 individuals—remained structurally sound and undamaged. Families have expanded many of these homes with latrines or additional rooms, and during Hurricane Melissa, they welcomed neighbors, displaced relatives and returnees from Port-au-Prince. Additional assessments found that most houses rebuilt after Hurricane Matthew also withstood the storm, though some reported worsening roof leaks and latrine damage. Household cisterns built after the 2021 earthquake continued to provide water, though some sustained leaks or damage to latrine structures. Families repaired minor issues themselves and shared water with neighbors, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness. These acts of hospitality reflect both deep community solidarity and the realities of internal displacement. Read more to learn about how CWS-constructed homes and schools have been used to provide safe shelter for families during Hurricane Melissa.
- Health and Ongoing Needs: In Jean Rabel, the local health center reported post‑storm cases of fever, diarrhea and vomiting, underscoring urgent needs for mobile clinics, medicines and equipment. While epidemiological data is still being compiled, the shortage of resources highlights the vulnerability of rural communities. To strengthen preparedness, disaster risk management training was conducted in Jean Rabel, equipping communities with tools to respond more effectively to future emergencies. In Fonramadou, banana crops were damaged but quickly replanted, beans were already sprouting and livestock losses were avoided—thanks in large part to earlier disaster risk management training that guided farmers in protecting their animals.
While Hurricane Melissa caused moderate damage to schools, cisterns and some homes, CWS-supported infrastructure largely held firm and provided safe shelter. The storm underscored the importance of continued investment in disaster risk management, resilient housing and community-based initiatives to ensure families can withstand future shocks.
CWS Response in Jamaica and Cuba
In Jamaica and Cuba, CWS works in coordination and partnership with established global and regional faith-based organizations that have local church partners in the affected communities. Through our partnership with Airbnb.org, we have provided temporary housing for four Caritas Antilles staff and volunteers on the ground providing support in the aftermath of the storm.
CWS is also an active member of CLIO, an association of more than 80 Haitian and international organizations founded in 2005. CLIO has identified urgent needs including emergency shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation, food assistance, agricultural recovery and protection for vulnerable households. As assessments continue, CWS remains committed to supporting our partners across the region and positioning resources where they are most needed.
The most effective way to support emergency response is through financial donations, which allow CWS to work with local partners to meet urgent needs without overwhelming communities with unsolicited goods or supplies. By giving to CWS’s Emergency Response Fund, your contribution is used where it’s most needed—flexibly, efficiently and with deep local insight. CWS remains engaged well beyond the initial response phase, identifying unmet needs and supporting recovery efforts that span months and even years. Your donation supports this response and other relief efforts—ensuring that communities aren’t forgotten once headlines fade.
CWS Appeal: Response to Hurricane Melissa and Food Security Emergency in Haiti
How to Help
To support CWS emergency response efforts, donations can be made online or sent to Church World Service (P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515).
CWS is also a founding member of ACT Alliance, a coalition of churches and church-based humanitarian organizations working together in humanitarian assistance and development around the world. Read ACT Alliance’s emergency appeal in response to Hurricane Melissa here.