* Hurricane Melissa is slowly approaching Jamaica and Haiti with winds up to 100 mph (155 km/h) and expected to strengthen into a major hurricane, bringing extreme rainfall and life-threatening flooding, landslides, and storm surges across Jamaica, southern Haiti, and eastern Cuba.
* In Jamaica, where the hurricane could make landfall within the next 60-72 hours, at least 700 thousand children at risk, according to UNICEF estimates.
* UNICEF's preparedness includes prepositioning of life-saving supplies: 4,000 water containers in Jamaica (3,500 delivered), 2,900 hygiene kits in Haiti, and 1,300 hygiene kits sent to eastern Cuba. Additional 4,000 hygiene kits, water purifiers, tents, and water containers are being shipped from Barbados and Panama to Jamaica and Cuba. Health facilities in Haiti have been stocked with nutrition supplies for 1-3 months.
* In Haiti, UNICEF has conducted anticipatory cash transfers to around 8,000 households. In Jamaica, UNICEF will support emergency cash transfers for 10,000 children and vulnerable families through the PATH program.
* UNICEF is leading or co-leading coordination efforts: WASH, Education, Nutrition and Child Protection in Cuba and Haiti, and co-chairing the UN Emergency Technical Team in Jamaica. Actions underway in Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, and Social Protection sectors. CERF Anticipatory Action (AA) mechanism has been activated in Haiti and Cuba to enable anticipatory interventions before landfall.
Humanitarian Situation Update
Hurricane Melissa is moving slowly across the Caribbean Sea, approaching Jamaica and the southwestern peninsula of Haiti. As of the latest advisory, located approximately 210 km southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and 400 km southwest of Port-au-Prince. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher wind gusts. The centre of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica during the weekend and early next week while intensifying into a major hurricane, with severe impacts expected across Jamaica and Cuba, and additional affectation of Southern Haiti, southern Dominican Republic, which may receive 400-500 mm of rain through Sunday, with local peaks up to 750 mm, risking widespread flooding and landslides.
The slow movement of Melissa, currently around 6 km/h, means that affected areas may experience multi-day exposure to heavy rain and strong winds (nhc.noaa.gov), likely to produce catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, especially in mountainous terrain, and storm surge flooding along southern and eastern coasts of Jamaica and Haiti. This could disrupt basic services for children, especially in vulnerable coastal areas, as well as causing significant disruptions to classes as schools close or transition to remote learning for safety.