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Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 storm last week and has left large areas of Jamaica completely devastated. Early assessments show widespread destruction of homes, public infrastructure and agricultural land, mass water, power and communications outages, and an urgent humanitarian need for food, water, medicine and shelter. Reported fatalities are nearing 50, although are likely many more as the country digs out from the damage, and nearly half a million Jamaicans were left without power after the storm and large numbers remain without communications, according to Reuters.
Singer-rapper-songwriter Shaggy — a native of the Jamaican capital of Kingston — has worked to mobilize relief efforts to get urgent supplies to hard-hit communities. Working on the ground with partners including humanitarian NGOs and private donors, Shaggy has helped coordinate and fund flights carrying food, water, medical supplies and household essentials to the stricken country.
Photo: Garfield Robinson
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“Jamaica is my home,” Shaggy said. “I’ve seen the heartbreak on people’s faces and I will do everything I can to get help where it’s needed. We’re working with local leaders and trusted relief organizations to put supplies into hands and get power and water restored as fast as possible. We urgently need global attention and support to help rebuild our communities.”
(Note: social media reports that Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler was organizing relief for the country are false, a rep for Tyler confirms to Variety.)
The following organization are working to assist with relief:
The Government of Jamaica established The Hurricane Melissa Relief initiative, coordinated by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Jamaica’s national agency for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. (ODPEM)
Food for the Poor is actively expanding relief operations and coordinating shipments and field teams to reach storm-hit parishes. Individuals and organizations wishing to donate or coordinate with established relief channels are encouraged to visit Food For The Poor’s emergency page for Melissa relief. (Food For The Poor)
Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) is a non-profit focused on disaster relief and sustainable development. (GEM)
(Disaster Risk Management) has declared disaster areas and is coordinating national response and recovery (Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica)
