Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica a few hours ago, on October 28th, as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum winds at over 185 mph (~298 kmh).
Jamaica has never experienced a hurricane this strong, and the immediate and lasting impacts on the island and in the surrounding region have been reported as catastrophic by numerous outlets.
The UN World Meteorological Organization has described Hurricane Melissa as "the storm of the century". The estimated storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) and rainfall up to 40 inches (100 cm) will cause catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
Over 2 million people are currently in critical danger and need.
Here's a list of some organizations currently working to help the people of Jamaica in this urgent time of need. Please, if you're able to spare a few dollars, donate to one of the organizations below:
Donate to The World Food Programme's Hurricane Melissa Hurricane Emergency Appeal, just $18 could feed 35 people.
Donate to World Central Kitchen to provide fresh meals.
Donate to The American Friends of Jamaica's Disaster Relief Fund to provide critical support.
Donate to The Miami Foundation's U.S. Caribbean Strong's Relief Fund to help Jamaica as well as Hispaniola, Cuba, and The Bahamas.
Donate items from South Florida Caribbean Strong's Amazon wishlist to directly supply hurricane relief items.
To stay updated on Hurricane Melissa and the status of the Jamaican community, BBC News and CNN Weather currently have live updates.
To learn how climate change made a direct impact on the intensity and severity of Hurricane Melissa, the non-profit group Climate Central has an article and live data going further into detail.
If you don't have the means to donate, please reblog and share to spread awareness. And, if you know of any other organizations or mutual aid funds please don't hesitate to add them! Thank you! 🇯🇲
