India on Tuesday dispatched 20 tonnes each of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials to Jamaica and Cuba to support recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the dispatch on X, stating that the relief consignment was sent aboard an Indian Air Force flight from New Delhi. The supplies include Arogya Maitri BHISHM Cube medical systems, rehabilitation support materials, food and daily essentials, medicines, medical equipment, power generators, shelter materials, and hygiene kits.
“India stands with our Global South partners in the face of such natural disasters and will assist our friends in recovery and reconstruction,” Jaishankar said, reaffirming India’s commitment to humanitarian assistance and solidarity with countries of the Global South.
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28 as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest in the island’s recorded history, bringing severe destruction to infrastructure and communities. The storm caused widespread power outages, downed power lines, and left much of the country without electricity. Many areas remain cut off due to flooding and debris, with rescue operations still underway to reach isolated communities.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the entire country a disaster area soon after the storm hit, while emergency services launched large-scale rescue and relief operations. The hurricane’s eye passed over Jamaica’s western parishes, sparing the capital city, Kingston, from the worst of the destruction.
After battering Jamaica, the storm made landfall in Cuba on October 29 as an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 hurricane, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami. Cuban authorities reported extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, with rising river levels isolating around 140,000 residents across affected regions.
The hurricane then moved northward into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, including parts of the Bahamas. Dozens of casualties have been reported, though assessments of the full scale of damage are still ongoing.
India’s relief initiative is part of its broader commitment to extend timely humanitarian aid to countries affected by natural calamities, reflecting the country’s proactive global outreach under its “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future) philosophy.
Through the dispatch of HADR materials to Jamaica and Cuba, India has reiterated its role as a responsible partner in regional and international disaster relief efforts, contributing essential support to nations grappling with the aftermath of climate-related disasters.
