UPDATE JAMAICA-Jamaica is assessing damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Prime Minister Andrew Holness, on Wednesday, began assessing the “extensive damage” caused by Hurricane Melissa, a category 5 Storm, on Tuesday. Still, the country has so far not received any reports of deaths associated with the storm that hit Jamaica, with winds exceeding 180 miles per hour. (MPH).

Information Minister. Dr. Dana Morris Dixon told a news conference that Holness would be flying over the affected areas by helicopter, and that other government ministers, particularly the Minister of Health, Dr. Christopher Tufton, and the Energy, Telecoms, and Transportation Minister, Daryl Vaz, would also be engaged in a similar exercise.

“It looks very, very difficult in Jamaica, and the images we are getting are really devastating. But we are a strong and resilient people, and we will do this together,” she told reporters.

She said before the press briefing, “There was a cabinet meeting that was about coordinating how we get these assessments done, how we get resources to those that need it the most. So all of our ministers will be out working very hard with their teams to get the support to those who need it the most””.

But she said that the government has issued a statement indicating “an all clear following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, and that comes after guidance from the Met Service.

“When we give the all clear, it means that our utility companies should now commence restoration and recovery operations across the island,” the Information Minister said, urging other stakeholders, including gas stations, pharmacies, and supermarkets, particularly in areas less affected, to reopen their facilities.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie told the news conference that the authorities are not yet in a position to speak about any casualties resulting from the hurricane, which has since made landfall in Cuba and is also heading towards The Bahamas and Bermuda.

“I keep getting a lot of messages (questions) about fatalities. We are not in a position to speak about any deaths because we have not had any reports of any deaths so far. So we cannot presume that there are deaths, and I am hoping that there are no deaths to report,” McKenzie said, reiterating “we are not in a position to make an official statement on deaths because we have not received any such information”.

Before the passage of the storm, Jamaican authorities had confirmed three deaths, including one man being electrocuted, as people were taking precautionary measures to deal with the storm.

McKenzie said that, in general, the country continues to experience the effects of Hurricane Melissa, with various roadblocks and downed utility lines, mainly in the western section of the island, where the storm hit hardest.

He said he is hoping by now that all the Municipal Corporations” that can access their various municipalities will be out doing what is necessary”.

The Local Government Minister said that the question of search and rescue” is being undertaken in a meaningful way and all the necessary things will be done to ensure that persons who need to get out are in a position to do so”.

He said more than 25,000 people have gone to the various shelters, and “since last night, more persons have been going into the shelters, and especially in the parishes that have been badly affected, a lot of homes have been destroyed, so persons are now going to the shelters.

“We are going to be looking at a long-term basis as to how we are going to deal with the numbers, but I want to say to all shelter managers, parish disaster coordinators, and to the Municipal Corporations, no one must be turned back from the shelters.

“No one, and we are not contemplating closing any shelters. Once we have completed the assessment and identified which shelters can be closed, we will do so. But for the remainder of this week, no shelters must be closed; all shelters must remain open.”

He said that the authorities would now begin positioning themselves to start the relief exercise for the affected persons.

“It is not going to be an easy road, Jamaica. We have seen the extent of the damage. It is going to take a lot of time,” he said, adding that. At the same time, we are prepared to do everything to ensure a speedy response; we also have to be mindful of the protocols in place and the fact that we are accountable. We don’t want to be accused of doing anything illegal…

Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) is coordinating a sea-lift operation from Barbados, carrying essential supplies from the International Organization for Migration, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the WFP itself.

“Some 2,000 relief kits are also planned for deployment once airports reopen and the weather conditions permit flights”, said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

He said in collaboration with the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and a joint aid hub established in Barbados, WFP is “instrumental” in he ongoing disaster response, with support from the European Union and Canada.

In Haiti, authorities have placed the departments of South and Grand’Anse on red alert, while other areas remain on orange alert.

“More than 3,600 people are sheltering in emergency sites in the Grand Sud département, with IOM supporting sheltering of 3,000 people preventively and the setting up of 100 shelters,’ Dujarric said.

In addition, the UN and its partners continue to work closely with Haitian authorities to support preparedness and early action.