Hurricane Melissa kills 49 as UK boosts Caribbean aid by £5 million

An aerial view of Black River, Jamaica, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa (Matias Delacroix/AP) Matias Delacroix

The UK government is increasing its humanitarian funding to the Caribbean by an additional £5 million in response to Hurricane Melissa's catastrophic impact.

The category five storm has killed at least 49 people across the region, with 19 confirmed dead in Jamaica alone.

In the devastated western Jamaican town of Lacovia, survivors are pleading for help. Sheree McLeod, managing a makeshift shelter at Lacovia Primary School, described the desperate situation in interviews with media at the scene: "I've never seen this in my entire life." She added: "It's heartbreaking, I never thought in a million years that I would be in the situation trying to get help and with literally no communication." The shelter houses 16 people aged 14 to 86, but received only eight blankets. "We can't reach any officials, there are no emergency teams [...]" McLeod said.

UK relief response

The new funding brings the UK's total commitment this week to £7.5 million. The aid package will deliver over 3,000 shelter kits, 1,500 solar-powered lanterns and sanitation products to affected areas. The government will also match public donations up to £1 million to the Red Cross appeal for Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall with winds reaching 185mph, leaving over 13,000 people in shelters across Jamaica and cutting power to 72% of the island.

In Haiti, authorities reported at least 30 dead and 20 missing, with 15,000 people displaced.

Army convoys are now deploying across western Jamaica to clear debris and deliver relief supplies.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper explained the increased funding in a statement: "More information is now coming through on the scale of devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, with homes damaged, roads blocked and lives lost." She added that the support would "[...] ensure we can get shelter kits, solar lamps and sanitation products to those who need them most."

Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).