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The pope León XIV asked this Wednesday for prayers for the victims and those affected by Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica and Cuba in recent hours with “devastating force.”
In a message at the conclusion of the general audience held in St. Peter's Square on the morning of this October 29, the pontiff expressed his thoughts towards the Caribbean, hit by a storm of "catastrophic power," which has caused "violent floods," highlighted a note on the official Vatican website.
"Recently, Hurricane Melissa has struck Jamaica, a storm of catastrophic strength that is causing severe flooding, and as we speak, it is moving through Cuba with devastating force. Thousands of people have been evacuated, and homes, infrastructure, and several hospitals have been damaged," he stated.
León XIV assured his "closeness" to those affected and urged everyone to pray together "for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing, and for the communities that, while waiting for the storm's progression, are experiencing hours of anxiety and worry."
At the same time, he expressed his support for the civil authorities for "doing everything possible to limit the damage" and thanked the Christian communities and volunteer organizations for the humanitarian aid they are providing.
The pontiff also conveyed his message through his profile on the social network X.
The hurricane Melissa, Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, made landfall in Cuba, near the town of Chivirico, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, at 3:10 AM this Wednesday.
The cyclone entered the island with sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour, along with a minimum central pressure of 952 millibars, maintaining it as a highly intense and extremely dangerous hurricane. As it crossed eastern Cuba from south to north, it caused severe flooding and destruction of homes and infrastructure, among other serious damages.
One day earlier, Melissa had left a trail of destruction in Jamaica, where it made landfall as a category 5 hurricane, the highest level a hurricane can reach. In that island territory, it caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, and severe structural damage. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a disaster zone.
Although the cyclone did not pass through the territory of Haiti, its effects were devastating there as well: vast areas flooded and landslides in much of the country, among other damages.
According to official reports and international organizations, during its devastating path through the Caribbean the hurricane left at least 49 people dead: 40 in Haiti, eight in Jamaica, and one in the Dominican Republic, along with a dozen missing persons.
The Cuban government has not reported any fatalities due to the cyclone; however, the Catholic Church confirmed the death of a person in the area of El Cristo, in Santiago de Cuba.
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