Torn-apart homes in Jamaica, with frames nearly swallowed by murky mud. Families wading through floodwater in Haiti, their belongings in plastic bags. Hospitals lying shattered in Cuba, glass littering the floors and ceilings split open.
These were some of the first images emerging in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which tore through the Caribbean earlier this week.
About 77% of Jamaica remains without power, while 50 people in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica are reported dead as of this publication. And as organizations race to support affected communities, they’re doing so largely without what was once the biggest player in the game: the U.S. Agency for International Development.
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About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
