In Cubamore than 54,000 people remain displaced, including 7,500 residing in official shelters, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA. The scale of damage is now much higher than initial estimates, with more than 600 health facilities and 90,000 households affected.
UN agencies are supporting the national response, assisting around 140,000 people in shelters and community kitchens, and distributing agricultural tools and livestock feed to restore livelihoods.
They also provide equipment to strengthen disease control and prevention efforts and deliver medical supplies to strengthen reproductive health services, including maternal care.
In Jamaicaaccess to isolated communities is improving but remains precarious.
Only two communities are still inaccessible – down from 27 last week – although additional rainfall could limit access once again.
Housing remains a major concern. Some 40,000 tarpaulins intended for delivery were not transported due to blocked and damaged roads. The United Nations World Food Program (PAM) has so far helped 9,000 people in the hard-hit Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth areas, and plans to extend cash assistance to up to 90,000 households when conditions permit.
In Haitiwhere Hurricane Melissa left more than 40 dead, humanitarian partners are expanding their operations amid significant damage in several departments.
The UN and partners also distributed hygiene kits, restored electricity for vaccine refrigeration and provided psychosocial support in schools.
They are also delivering 15 days of food rations to hard-hit southern areas. In Petit Goâve, food aid is being provided to more than 40,000 people, and further distributions are planned this week.
To overcome access challenges, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has expanded its operations with five new access points to reach isolated communities.
Philippines: Response intensifies after back-to-back typhoons
In the Philippines, WFP is scaling up emergency operations following Typhoon Kalmaegi and Super Typhoon Fung-Wong, which affected 8.3 million people and displaced more than 1.4 million people in Luzon, the country’s largest and most populous island.
Before landfall, the agency distributed emergency cash transfers to more than 210,000 people to help families evacuate and prepare.
Since the storms, WFP has provided 187,000 family food packages, enough to feed nearly a million people for several days.
Telecommunications units and generators have also been deployed to restore connectivity, while logistics teams are supporting relief efforts in 14 provinces.
UN News on Tuesday interviewed Arnaud Peral, UN resident coordinator in the country, who highlighted the relative success of government-led preparedness and early warning systems – fully supported by UN agencies.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
