Hurricane Melissa in Caribbean: Switzerland supports efforts to restore essential services
Bern, 13.11.2025 — Some two weeks after it hit the region, the impact of Hurricane Melissa continues to severely disrupt daily life for people in Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has sent support in the form of specialists and equipment, and allocated CHF 1.3 million to help meet the needs of those affected in the three countries.
Melissa, which hit the region around two weeks ago, has left extensive damage in its wake across several Caribbean countries. In total, more than four million people have been affected by this disaster in Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti. The health-related and socio-economic impact is significant. Much of the harvest has been destroyed and many schools are closed. In several regions, contaminated water is increasing the risk of diseases spreading and cases of cholera are on the rise, especially in Haiti.
Swiss and regional support for Cuba
Right after the hurricane hit land, Switzerland sent a team to Cuba. Having left Switzerland, the six members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) and a specialist from the Swiss Red Cross joined two other specialists from the SDC, who were deployed from Latin American countries. This mission is being carried out under the auspices of the Cuban Red Cross. Switzerland is one of the few countries present in the disaster zone.
The Swiss team is working with the Cuban Red Cross in the Santiago de Cuba region, which was particularly affected by the disaster. It has received over 2.5 tonnes of equipment flown in from Switzerland. This equipment is for treating and supplying drinking water, and it is set up in a polyclinic in the town of San Luis.
The equipment is intended not only for patients but also to restore access to drinking water for residents living near the polyclinic. All these measures have been and are being taken in concert with the local authorities.
A response to multilateral appeals
In addition, the SDC has contributed CHF 500,000 to the appeal launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Divided equitably between Cuba and Jamaica, this funding will be used to provide emergency shelter, drinking water, medical care and psychosocial support, and to combat the spread of infectious diseases. In Jamaica, the SDC has also donated CHF 159,000 to the NGO ‘Give Directly’ for emergency financial aid to 226 households severely affected by the disaster. This will enable them to provide for their own needs.
Adaptation of ongoing activities in Haiti
The SDC was already present in Haiti and has allocated a total of CHF 445,000 to adapt its ongoing projects to the aftereffects of Melissa. The aim is to step up its activities as regards water and disaster risk reduction. Part of this amount will also be used to fund a social security project run by the World Food Programme. It should be noted that when the hurricane hit land, more than 2,000 people were able to take refuge in shelters built with Swiss support. The evacuation of the population living near the shelters went very smoothly thanks to the awareness-raising measures put in place by the communities and local authorities with the support of the Swiss programme.
In total, Switzerland has allocated CHF 1.3 million to meet the needs of those affected by the hurricane in the three countries.