At Least 50 Dead as Caribbean Recovers from Hurricane Melissa

At Least 50 Dead as Caribbean Recovers from Hurricane Melissa

Jamaican officials announced plans on Saturday to set up multiple field hospitals as the island recovers from Hurricane Melissa, which has claimed at least 50 lives across the Caribbean, a figure expected to rise.

Jamaica’s confirmed death toll stands at 19, though Health Minister Christopher Tufton warned that the true number could be higher. “I would imagine it’s more… because there are still places we have had difficulties reaching,” he said.

Haiti’s Civil Protection Department reported at least 31 deaths in the country due to the storm.

Melissa struck Jamaica as a ferocious Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful storm ever recorded on the island, with sustained winds peaking at 185 miles (nearly 300 kilometers) per hour and torrential rainfall across the country.

Hospitals in western Jamaica were severely affected, prompting authorities to deploy several field hospitals in the coming days to strengthen healthcare response.

The first field hospital, to be set up in Black River — the capital of the hardest-hit province — is expected to be operational shortly after delivery. “It will come fully equipped, including an operating theatre, critical diagnostic equipment, and support staff to assist the local team,” Tufton said.

Additional field hospitals are planned with aid from the World Health Organization and support from countries including Spain, Canada, and India, he added.