Airlifts to Bring Immediate Relief to Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa battered Jamaica as a deadly Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph. After several hours of catastrophic gusts and torrential rain, the storm cleared the island nation leaving serious damage in its wake.
Samaritan’s Purse already has disaster relief specialists, emergency items, and multiple planes in position to quickly deliver relief. Our response team is preparing to airlift community water systems, shelter materials, solar lights, hygiene kits, and other supplies. We are in regular communication with church partners and appropriate officials on the ground in Jamaica.
We have been loading cargo planes with shelter tarp, solar lights, medical supplies, water filtration systems, and more to get to Jamaica as soon as an airport is accessible.
Along with essential supplies, we are ready to send key Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) members to assess the situation and coordinate our response on the ground.
News reports indicate there is extensive destruction on Jamaica, especially along the western half of the island. Homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals are badly damaged. Thousands are in emergency shelters, and hundreds of thousands are without power. Roads and bridges are washed out. Flash flooding and landslides have occurred in the mountains.
Melissa is the most powerful hurricane ever recorded to hit Jamaica. By wind speed, it is among the strongest hurricanes to ever strike the Atlantic Basin.
Please be in prayer for all those affected by Hurricane Melissa and for our teams as they mobilise to bring physical aid and the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people in need.
Support Caribbean Hurricane Relief
£20 can provide essential items for a hygiene kit, restoring dignity to people in crisis and reminding them that the Lord has not forgotten them.
£60 can supply water filtration systems to affected communities—meeting a desperate need after widespread devastation.
£150 can help transport and equip an Emergency Field Hospital—bringing healing to the wounded in Jesus’ Name.
Samaritan's Purse is poised to respond to the devastation on Jamaica brought by Hurricane Melissa. We have personnel, resources, and aircraft in position to respond. We are quickly preparing to airlift community water filtration systems, solar lights, hygiene kits, shelter materials, and more.
