The federal government is advising Canadians to avoid travel to certain parts of the Caribbean as Hurricane Melissa sweeps through the region.
The Category 5 hurricane on Wednesday caused dozens of deaths and widespread destruction in Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti, knocking out power and forcing residents to flee their homes in flooded cities.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said in a statement Wednesday that it was not aware of any Canadian deaths from the storm, but it had issued updated travel advisories to the region.
Canadians should avoid all travel to Jamaica, Haiti and eastern Cuba, the GAC said in a press release. This recommendation was previously in effect for Haiti due to the threat of kidnappings and violence.
In addition, travelers are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to the southeastern and central Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Bermuda.
Satellite images released by forecasting agencies showed Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, heading toward Jamaica and Cuba.
GAC is deploying a rapid response team to the region to assist with emergency response and assistance, it said.
Canadians requiring assistance in affected areas can contact GAC at 1-613-996-8885, email [email protected], SMS at 1-613-686-3658, WhatsApp at 1-613-909-8881 or Signal at 1-613-909-8087.
Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, said Canada is monitoring the situation “very closely” and stands ready to help with any local requests for logistics or humanitarian assistance.
“This is a huge disaster. This is the fifth class, the largest Jamaica has ever seen in history,” Barn said on Parliament Hill.
“There’s nothing that can withstand that kind of pressure.”
Saray noted that Cuba and Jamaica each received $4 million from the United Nations emergency fund, to which Canada contributed more than $29 million this year.
Similar payments were made from Canadian-supported Red Cross and World Food Program funds, as well as from Canadian projects supporting hurricane resilience, his office said.
“We are working with both governments to see what more we can do to help [and] any humanitarian assistance that we can provide,” Sarai said.
“If any request is made, I think Canada will look at it quite favorably, but we will make that assessment as soon as those requests are made.”
