London: UK Government is mobilising a £5 million (USD 6.5 million) in emergency funding on top of £2.5 million (USD 3.2 million) announced earlier this week, to support the Caribbean region's recovery from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that more information is emerging about the scale of devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, including damaged homes, blocked roads, and loss of lives. In response, the UK Government is increasing its funding for humanitarian support to provide essential supplies such as shelter kits, solar lamps, and sanitation products to those most in need.
Cooper further mentioned that part of the funding will be used to match public donations to the Red Cross appeal in support of Jamaica. The new financial aid will allow the UK to send over 3,000 shelter kits and more than 1,500 solar-powered lanterns to assist those affected by the hurricane, particularly those whose homes have been damaged or who are without power. The UK is collaborating with the World Food Programme and Red Cross to ensure that emergency relief reaches the most affected areas.
UK humanitarian and technical experts have been deployed to the region to help coordinate and deliver aid. Prior to the hurricane, the UK Government had strategically positioned emergency supplies in Antigua and Barbuda to enable rapid deployment to the most impacted areas. A portion of the funding will also be used to match public donations up to £1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appeal in support of Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa, recognized as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, wreaked havoc across the Caribbean. The storm made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday with wind speeds reaching 185 mph, marking it as the most severe storm to hit the country since records began 174 years ago. The Red Cross reported that early assessments indicate Hurricane Melissa as a "disaster of unprecedented catastrophe."