Avoid travel to parts of Caribbean as Hurricane Melissa storms through region, GAC says

The federal government is advising Canadians to avoid travelling to certain parts of the Caribbean as Hurricane Melissa rips through the region.

The Category 5 storm left dozens dead and widespread destruction across Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti on Wednesday, knocking out power and forcing residents from their homes in inundated towns.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said in a statement Wednesday that it isn’t aware of any Canadians killed in the storm, but it issued updated travel advisories for the region.

Canadians should avoid all travel to Jamaica, Haiti and the eastern regions of Cuba, GAC’s news release said. That advisory had previously been in place for Haiti due to the threat of kidnappings and violence.

In addition, travellers are recommended to avoid all non-essential travel to the southeastern and central Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Bermuda.

WATCH | Satellite images show Hurrican Melissa:

Satellite images released by forecasting agencies showed Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, as it headed toward Jamaica and Cuba.

GAC is deploying a rapid-response team to the region to help with emergency response and assistance, the release said.

Canadians who require assistance in the affected areas can contact GAC by telephone at 1-613-996-8885, email at [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 "very closely" monitoring the situation and is ready to help with any local requests for logistics or humanitarian assistance.

"It's a huge disaster. It's a Class 5, it is the largest that Jamaica has ever seen in recorded history," Sarai said on Parliament Hill.

"There is nothing that can withstand that pressure."

Sarai noted that Cuba and Jamaica have both tapped US$4 million from a United Nations emergency fund to which Canada has contributed more than $29 million this year.

There have been similar disbursements from Canadian-supported funds run by the Red Cross and World Food Program, and Canadian projects supporting hurricane resilience, his office said.

“We're working with both governments to see whatever else we can do to help [and] any humanitarian relief we can do," Sarai said.

"If any request is made, I think Canada would look at it pretty favourably, but we'll make that assessment once those requests are made."