The storm is carving a path of destruction across the Caribbean, ravaging homes, businesses and essential services. In Jamaica, entire communities are cut off. Nearly 240,000 people lose power. Swollen rivers, collapsed houses and submerged communities lay bare the scale of the emergency.
28 October 2025
Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, batters Jamaica with wind gusts of up to 250 miles (402 km) per hour.
UNDP mobilized immediately.
Backed by 50 years of partnership with Jamaica, UNDP tapped its experts, resources and infrastructure to conduct rapid assessments, launch energy access, livelihood stabilization and debris clearance activities, and begin the difficult task of helping people get back on their feet.
But recovery alone is not enough.
UNDP’s disaster response goes beyond restoring what was lost; it is about building back stronger to better withstand the next crisis.