By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN Resident Coordinator for Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos Dennis Zulu on Wednesday said that hurricane Melissa ravaged Jamaica, left behind an unprecedented trail of destruction.
He noted that current estimates place the total damage and loss between $8 billion and $15 billion a quarter of Jamaica’s gross domestic product.
The hurricane affected over 626,000 people and claimed 45,000 lives, underscoring its profound human toll.
Some 90 emergency shelters are up and running, accommodate 950 people who have yet to return home despite notable progress in recovery efforts .
Mr. Zulu reported that entire communities are still fully exposed, with at least 120,000 buildings most of them in southwestern Jamaica having lost their roofs.
Hurricane Melissa triggered “prolonged” and “cascading” disruptions to essential services, he added.
“Western parishes were left without electricity for weeks on end.”
He stressed that many children remain out of school due to extensive damage to educational facilities.
Over 450 schools, two-thirds of all institutions nationwide, have reported significant impacts, including roof loss, structural failure, and other damages.
The tourism industry and agricultural production the cornerstones of Jamaica’s economy and major sources of employment have suffered extensive damage, putting thousands of jobs and livelihoods at risk, adds further strain, he noted.
Mr. Zulu emphasized “This scale of destruction has not only been unprecedented, but it has also really reversed hard-won development gains in a country that was firmly on a positive social and economic trajectory.
He concluded that despite these challenges, the UN is working closely with the Government of Jamaica, national institutions, civil society, and international partners, delivering life-saving aid to the most vulnerable communities.
