Kingston, Jamaica – October 28, 2025:
Caritas Antilles has activated its regional emergency response following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that swept through Jamaica and parts of the northern Caribbean this week. The hurricane, with sustained winds reaching 175 mph, has left a trail of destruction across Jamaica’s southern and central parishes, displacing thousands and disrupting essential services.
In coordination with the Archdiocese of Kingston, the dioceses of Montego Bay and Mandeville, and partners including Food for the Poor (FFTP), CRS EMPOWER, and Caritas Dominican Republic, Caritas Antilles has launched immediate preparedness and response measures. The Caritas Antilles Emergency Response Team (CAERT), activated on October 25, has begun verifying and kitting emergency supplies prepositioned in St. Lucia for shipment to Jamaica once access permits.
Preliminary reports indicate that up to 1.5 million people—more than half of Jamaica’s population—may be directly affected by the storm through displacement, power loss, and infrastructure damage. Over 800 shelters have been activated, while government authorities warn of extensive flooding and landslides in the parishes of Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, and Clarendon.
Caritas Antilles has secured USD 100,000 in rapid response funds through CRS EMPOWER and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to support logistics, replenishment of relief supplies, and coordination with local partners. Essential items include food, water, blankets, tarps, school supplies, and hygiene materials.
Partnership coordination has been extensive. FFTP has offered potential warehousing space in Kingston and continues to mobilize volunteer groups and supplies through its regional hubs in Miami and Jamaica. Meanwhile, the United Nations and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) are working alongside Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to coordinate national and regional relief efforts.
Caritas Antilles is also facilitating safeguarding and protection refresher training for Youth Emergency Action Committee members across St. Lucia, Dominica, and Grenada in preparation for possible deployment to Jamaica. Media engagement has already begun, with the Bishop of Montego Bay highlighting the Church’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in an interview with Newsweek on October 27.
As the Church in the Caribbean mobilizes, Caritas Antilles reaffirms its commitment to standing in solidarity with affected communities — working collaboratively to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those most in need while upholding dignity, coordination, and hope across the region.
