Water Mission Responds to Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

Water Mission Arrives in Jamaica

Water Mission’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) deploys professionals and equipment to Jamaica ahead of the storm to immediately meet safe water, sanitation, and hygiene needs and serve those impacted by the disaster.

Melissa Makes Landfall in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, makes landfall in Jamaica, devastating the island’s southwestern coast with torrential rains and catastrophic 185 mph winds. As the strongest storm on the planet this year, Hurricane Melissa causes immense devastation.

Water Mission Begins Assessing Damage

Water Mission's DART members are on the ground in some of the hardest-hit communities in Jamaica. We are assessing the need so that we can begin setting up water treatment systems that will provide thousands of people with emergency safe drinking water.

Water Treatment Systems Shipped from Charleston

We shipped more equipment from Water Mission's US Headquarters, including five Living Water Treatment Systems (LWTS) and two Reverse Osmosis systems. Please pray for our team as they coordinate travel logistics across the island to deliver safe water to as many people as possible, as road transportation remains challenging.

Disaster Response Team Conducts Water Analysis

Our team in Jamaica has been collaborating with partners on the ground and local government organizations to determine how best to deliver safe water to people in need. 

DART members recently conducted a water analysis in a town on the west side of the island, in the Savanna la Mar region. We are in the process of setting up two LWTS there, with the goal of getting safe water flowing in the coming days.

Team Works to Get Water Flowing in Hardest-Hit Communities

In the aftermath of the storm, entire communities lack basic needs like food and water. With this being the largest hurricane to ever hit the island, many local residents are in shock.

"People are walking around almost like zombies," says Busha, a local from Savanna la Mar whose home was severely impacted. "They have two plastic bags over their shoulder with their life belongings, one with some important papers, hopefully wrapped up, one with some clothes, but they have no idea where they're walking to.”

Water Mission's disaster response professionals continue to work diligently to transport systems and supplies to the hardest-hit communities in Jamaica.

Water Flowing in Ferris Cross, Jamaica

Over the weekend, Water Mission got safe, clean water flowing in Ferris Cross, Jamaica. We currently have two Living Water Treatment Systems operational, producing safe water for residents of Ferris Cross and surrounding towns. The team is also working to get treatment systems operational in several other remote communities along the southwestern coast, as well as deliver safe water to people via trucks.