World Vision sends relief to Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic after Hurricane Melissa

MONTEGO BAY (November 4, 2025) — In response to Hurricane Melissa, global Christian humanitarian organization World Vision is deploying relief teams and supplies to Jamaica and activating its local teams and partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to support affected families.

Hurricane Melissa carved a catastrophic path across the Caribbean after making landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025. The storm reached Category 5 strength and ranks among the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.

The storm affected millions across the Caribbean, including Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica was among the hardest hit, with entire communities leveled along the southern coast and thousands left homeless. Torrential rains also battered Haiti, the Caribbean’s most populous nation, triggering flash floods and landslides.

Many roads remain inaccessible, and power outages are still widespread making it difficult to reach communities. Across the region, at least 75 people have died — including 43 in Haiti, and 32 in Jamaica. Children are among the most vulnerable, facing disrupted schooling, unsafe shelter, and rising risks of malnutrition and exploitation.

“We know the heartbreak storms like Melissa bring to already vulnerable communities,” said Mike Bassett, World Vision’s national director of domestic humanitarian and emergency affairs. He has been conducting assessments and delivering food, water and other items in hard-hit Montego Bay and surrounding areas. “But we’re doing all we can to assist with much-needed supplies and are confident that with God’s help, we will bring hope and light to those impacted.”

Nearly a week after the storm hit, communities in Montego Bay and the nearby village of Seven Rivers are facing severe devastation and a critical shortage of resources like food and clean water.

“I saw total devastation. Homes with roofs ripped off and it’s raining daily – people are exposed to the elements,” Bassett said, describing the dire conditions in St. James parish. “My concern is they will start drinking the water – that’s all they have access to.”

World Vision is mobilizing relief shipments of food, clean water, tarps, and other emergency supplies, and airlifting generators and water purification systems to support recovery efforts. The organization is partnering with the Jamaica Baptist Union — a network of more than 300 churches across the island — to distribute aid to families most affected by the storm.

Despite the hardship, Bassett observed resilience among communities: “People are in good spirits, but they looked like they were in shock and trying to figure out what the new normal is,” he said.

Montego Bay, Jamaica’s second-largest population center, faces a long road to recovery but World Vision is committed to assist.

Hurricane Melissa caused widespread devastation in Haiti, where World Vision will distribute kitchen, hygiene and bedding kits to survivors. The impacts of Hurricane Melissa exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in a country where many have fled their homes due to gang violence, and 1.4 million people don’t have enough food.

Fishing and farming activities are suspended, threatening livelihoods and market access. In La Gonâve, where World Vision operates humanitarian programs, halted boat travel has led to commodity shortages and rising prices. World Vision is also particularly concerned about cholera and other water-borne diseases.

In the Dominican Republic, World Vision will provide humanitarian assistance in San Cristóbal, Santo Domingo and Monte Plata.

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X @WorldVisionUSA.