India extends lifesaving aid to Cuba and Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa devastation

Cuba and Jamaica have expressed deep gratitude to India for extending vital humanitarian assistance after Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean, killing at least 75 people and displacing tens of thousands across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba. Declared one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in over 150 years, Melissa left behind shattered homes, crippled infrastructure, and devastated communities now struggling to recover.

A storm that shattered the Caribbean

Hurricane Melissa carved a path of destruction from Jamaica to Cuba, reducing neighborhoods to rubble and leaving millions without power or clean water. Before landfall, hurricane hunters aboard a Lockheed C130 aircraft flew into the storm’s eye, enduring violent turbulence to confirm its record-breaking intensity. The data revealed a monster storm with wind speeds and pressure levels rarely seen in the Atlantic.

Jamaica was the first to face Melissa’s full fury. Entire towns were flattened, streets vanished beneath mud and debris, and communication systems collapsed. In western Jamaica, nearly 90 percent of homes in some areas were damaged or destroyed. A resident described the trauma simply: “I just couldn’t manage the situation… I had to cry to ease the pain.”

In Haiti, the storm triggered deadly landslides and flash floods, sweeping away entire neighborhoods in towns like Petit-Goâve. At least 30 people were killed, with many still missing and thousands sheltering in overcrowded emergency centers. One survivor lamented, “We couldn’t save anything we owned, not even our slippers and shoes. Everything is gone.”

By the time Melissa reached Cuba, it had weakened slightly but still unleashed devastating rains and floods. Landslides buried highways, valleys turned into lakes, and over 240 communities remain isolated without communication or aid access.

India’s swift response and solidarity

As relief efforts intensified across the Caribbean, India emerged among the first nations to deliver direct assistance to both Cuba and Jamaica. The Cuban Ambassador to India thanked New Delhi on X, writing, “Our sincere gratitude to @MEAIndia, Air Force, Government and the people of #India for the noble and solidarity gesture of donating medical supplies and equipment, and two BHISHM hospitals, to help people affected by Hurricane Melissa in the eastern provinces of #Cuba.”

The Indian Embassy in Havana confirmed that a special Indian Air Force aircraft carrying Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials landed soon after the storm’s devastation. “Guided by the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ( the world is one family) India stands in solidarity with the people of Cuba,” it stated. The 20-tonne consignment included a BHISHM Medical Trauma Unit, essential medicines, power generators, tents, bedding, kitchen and hygiene kits, and solar lanterns to support recovery efforts.

In Jamaica, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade publicly expressed appreciation for India’s assistance, noting that it would accelerate national recovery. “Foreign Minister @kaminajsmith and Permanent Secretary Ambassador Sheila Sealy Monteith welcomed the aid and expressed gratitude to the Government and people of India,” the ministry posted, acknowledging India’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Mayank Joshi, for facilitating the effort.

Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith personally thanked External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, emphasizing India’s commitment to global solidarity. “ Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam was more than the theme of India’s G20 Presidency—it is a worldview that prioritizes people and resilience. We extend our sincere thanks to @DrSJaishankar for ensuring relief reached those hardest hit by #HurricaneMelissa,” she wrote. The assistance included solar lamps, generators, medical kits, trauma units, and gender-sensitive hygiene kits. She also noted the arrival of an Indian medical team to train Jamaican health workers in the use of new equipment.

Jaishankar responded on X, saying, “Deeply appreciate your warm sentiments FM @kaminajsmith. India stands in solidarity with the people of Jamaica in these testing times, as it has done before.”

According to the Indian Embassy in Kingston, a C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force delivered approximately 20 tonnes of HADR materials on November 6, including trauma units, tents, bedding, generators, kitchen kits, solar lanterns, and hygiene supplies.

Rebuilding amid historic loss

Across the Caribbean, the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa remains dire. The UN Development Program estimates that western Jamaica alone has produced nearly five million metric tonnes of debris, equivalent to about 500,000 truckloads, with losses approaching 30 percent of Jamaica’s GDP. UN News reports that at least 75 deaths have been recorded across Jamaica and Haiti, while tens of thousands remain displaced.

Relief operations by the United Nations, the U.S., the U.K., and international aid groups are underway, delivering water purifiers, tarps, and food packages. Yet damaged roads and bureaucratic delays continue to hinder access to many affected regions.

For thousands who have lost their homes, the road to recovery will be long. As one Jamaican official said, “The hurricane hunters flew into a monster. The Caribbean lived through one. Now begins the long, painful process of rebuilding, one aid packet at a time.”