UN, partners assess needs, deliver aid after Hurricane Melissa devastation

The United Nations and partners are assessing the devastation left by Hurricane Melissa across much of the Caribbean, coordinating relief efforts and delivering aid, UN humanitarians said Thursday.



The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that after crossing Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas, Melissa's severe effects were also felt in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and parts of Central America.



OCHA said that the hurricane caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and crops, with the Pan American Health Organization reporting that health facilities were particularly affected.



"The UN and partners, already mobilized before the storm's impact, are delivering assistance and supporting damage assessments, coordination and logistics in close collaboration with national authorities," the office said.



The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimated that the storm impacted the lives of more than 700,000 children across the Caribbean.