Photo: news.un.org
"Hurricane Melissa Threatens Caribbean: 1.6M Children in Jeopardy"
Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 4 tropical cyclone, threatens the Caribbean, putting 1.6 million children at risk in Jamaica, Haiti, and nearby islands as families prepare for severe impacts.
- Currently a Category 4 storm, Hurricane Melissa is moving slowly across the Caribbean Sea and is expected to strengthen to Category 5 with maximum sustained winds of at least 157 mph.
- UNICEF reports that at least 1.6 million children are in jeopardy in Jamaica, Haiti, and surrounding islands, as families brace for potential flooding and landslides from the extreme weather.
- Countries such as Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic are on high alert, with officials warning of widespread disruption due to the impending threat from Hurricane Melissa.
Why It Matters
The threat posed by Hurricane Melissa highlights the vulnerability of the Caribbean region to extreme weather events, especially affecting children who are most at risk during natural disasters. This situation underscores the need for improved disaster preparedness and response strategies in the face of increasingly severe tropical cyclones.