US is sending dozens of relief workers to help with fallout from Hurricane Melissa

The United States is sending several dozen disaster relief workers, including specialized urban search and rescue teams, to assist Caribbean nations severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. These teams, comprising personnel from the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) based in Washington, Miami, and Costa Rica, as well as urban search and rescue units from Los Angeles County, California, and Fairfax County, Virginia, are on their way to the region. According to State Department officials who requested anonymity, the relief workers are expected to arrive within 24 to 48 hours and will coordinate efforts from bases in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. These locations will also serve as launching points to provide aid to neighboring Haiti. Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc across several islands, claiming dozens of lives and causing widespread destruction in Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica. The storm hit Jamaica on Tuesday as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes recorded before weakening and continuing its path toward Cuba. Despite concerns over recent changes in U.S. disaster relief infrastructure, officials assured that the response effort would be robust and efficient. They downplayed worries about the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which previously handled such operations, and emphasized that the ongoing U.S. government shutdown would not affect the relief teams, as key personnel were exempted from furloughs. Compensation for the DART members remains unclear, but urban search and rescue teams are employed locally and covered under existing long-term contracts. The relief effort anticipates critical needs including hygiene kits, temporary housing, sanitation supplies, and food. These resources will be sourced from Miami warehouses and local aid group stockpiles. Additionally, the Pentagon’s Southern Command, located in Tampa, may assist with transportation of personnel and supplies to hard-to-reach areas, though the scope of military involvement has yet to be finalized. Colonel Manny Ortiz, spokesperson for Southern Command, stated that a situational assessment team is being readied to evaluate on-the-ground conditions and identify urgent humanitarian aid requirements. Future military support decisions will rely heavily on their findings, but it’s too early to specify what that support might entail. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean as part of anti-drug trafficking efforts, deploying an aircraft carrier and other naval assets. Officials noted the hurricane has not disrupted current military operations. Regarding American citizens living or traveling in the affected islands, State Department officials said there are no plans for evacuation at this time. Most Americans are expected to leave via commercial flights or ships once airports and ports reopen. Approximately 5,000 U.S. citizens are registered with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program in Jamaica, and another 3,200 in the Bahamas, though the exact numbers remain uncertain as registration is voluntary and not mandatory for overseas travelers. Overall, the U.S. government is mobilizing a coordinated response amid significant destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, aiming to provide timely humanitarian relief while maintaining ongoing security operations in the Caribbean region.