Hurricane Melissa: devastating category 5 storm has caused catastrophic damage across Jamaica

Last updated: 5 November 2025 

On 28 October, a category five hurricane made landfall in Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm of 2025, is the strongest to have hit Jamaica in modern history. Millions of people have been affected and at least 61 people have been killed in Jamaica and across the region.

Hurricane Melissa made a catastrophic impact on Jamaica, bringing with it violent winds, flash flooding, and landslides.

Across Jamaica, much of the population remains without electricity, and reports suggest that around 30,000 people are displaced.

In Haiti and the Dominican Republic, heavy rainfall and flooding have caused fatalities and structural damage. Hurricane Melissa arrived in Cuba as a category 3 storm, causing extensive damage in Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma and Guantánamo. Around two million people require humanitarian assistance.  

The first priorities are search and rescue, and ensuring people have access to healthcare, safe shelter and clean water.

 

Gaza has become worse than hell on Earth

Last updated: 5 November 2025 

A ceasefire agreement came into effect on 10 October 2025, bringing relief to millions who have faced relentless suffering in Gaza. We hope it will continue to allow the immediate and unrestricted delivery of essential aid into Gaza. Now is the time to act. Your donation could help us get food, medicine and other essentials to families in desperate need. 

Why your donation matters

While this moment offers a step towards recovery, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Two years in, people are hungry, food supplies are virtually gone, and the medical system is in ruins. In August, the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) declared famine in parts of Gaza. Families face unimaginable hardship and need support urgently as winter fast approaches.

  • At least 69,138 people have tragically died.

  • More than 2 million people face extreme hunger. 

  • Over 175,500 have been injured. 

  • Only 14 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are functioning, with limited capacity.

  • 90% of Gaza’s 2.1million population has been displaced.

A massive scale-up of humanitarian aid is urgently needed. People must have a sustained and unimpeded flow of life-saving supplies to survive and rebuild.