This article was updated to add more organizations to the list and to share that Hurricane Melissa made landfall.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall along the southwestern coast of Jamaica on Tuesday with dangerous wind speeds of 185 mph and life-threatening storm surge
Torrential downpours that could produce 15 to 30 inches of rain, with up to 40 inches possible in isolated areas, are expected to contribute to deadly landslides in the island’s mountainous terrain, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. “Catastrophic” winds, flash flooding and storm surge is already hitting the island, the center said.
Hurricane Melissa’s landfall is one of the most powerful in Atlantic Basin recorded history, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm will move across southeastern Cuba on Wednesday morning and then across the southeastern Bahamas later that day into the Atlantic Ocean.
At least seven deaths in the Caribbean had been blamed on the hurricane as of Oct. 27, according to USA TODAY. Here’s what to know and how you can help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
Has Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica? Where is Hurricane Melissa?
Yes, Hurricane Melissa slammed into the coast near New Hope at about 1 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Significant impacts to Florida and the U.S. East Coast are not expected at this time.
How to provide Hurricane Melissa aid and donations
Several organizations are already prepped and mobilized to assist immediately after Hurricane Melissa. Many people looking to donate often think of common hurricane-preparation items when offering support, but money is the absolute best donation.
Here are some organizations, charities to donate to:
American Friends of Jamaica: The organization’s Disaster Relief Fund provides critical support to communities across Jamaica affected by natural or humanitarian disasters. You can donate to Hurricane Melissa relief here.
The American Red Cross: Red Cross officials shared their chapters on the islands, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is fully operational, working together to respond across the potentially affected countries. You can donate to disaster relief here.
Catholic Relief Services: Officials said they have a team of 100 staff in Haiti and local partners in Jamaica and the region. Its emergency teams are securing offices and warehouses, preparing prepositioned shelter and clean water supplies, and helping people secure their businesses, homes and fields. You can donate here.
Direct Relief: Officials shared they have committed an initial $250,000 in financial support and offered up its entire medical inventory to health providers in the Caribbean in response to Hurricane Melissa. You can donate here.
GlobalGiving: Officials are seeking to meet urgent needs for search-and-rescue assistance, medical care, food, clean water, and temporary shelter. You can donate here.
International Medical Corps: In an email, the organization said it is responding in Jamaica, working closely with local authorities to coordinate relief efforts and deliver critical supplies and support. They have prepositioned medical, wound-care, hygiene and food supplies, and have an emergency response team ready to deploy as soon as conditions permit. You can donate to Hurricane Melissa relief here.
Project HOPE: Officials said they are mobilizing an emergency response team to deploy while monitoring needs across the region. You can donate to Hurricane Melissa relief here.
Salvation Army: Personnel in the Jamaica East Division were out ahead of the Melissa, urging residents to take action to protect their families. You can donate to help with disaster relief here.
Send Relief: In an email, they confirmed they are coordinating with regional partners to deliver emergency supplies and support long-term recovery as soon as conditions allow. You can donate to Hurricane Melissa relief here.
World Central Kitchen (WCK): World Central Kitchen works around the globe to help provide fresh meals to communities in need. By partnering with on-the-ground organizations and activating a network of food trucks or emergency kitchens, WCK quickly and effectively provides freshly made, nutritious meals to communities impacted by disasters. Donate or sponsor a meal here.
What is the best way to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa?
The most effective way to help victims is through cash donations, as that’s the quickest way to get assistance to those in need. It immediately grants on-the-ground charities the flexibility to purchase the supplies they need.
While there is often an urge to send water, blankets, food and other items, charity organizations aren’t ready to handle the logistics of organizing, sorting, storing and distributing physical goods. Donating money to trusted charities means it goes to what’s needed right now, in the places that need it most.
Charities also often receive bulk discounts and, if possible, purchase items in the disaster area to support local economic recovery. There might be a time when items are needed, but in the early days, it’s money.
How can I ensure Jamaican residents receive my donation?
Hurricanes are destructive enough on their own, but unfortunately, some people still try to take advantage of a bad situation.
It’s important to know where to send hurricane donations, which can help establish safe shelters, provide supplies to hurricane victims, and offer impacted communities a little hope and comfort. To help avoid scams, the Federal Trade Commission offers these tips:
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Do some research online: Look into the charities and organizations you want to support, search their name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”
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Be careful how you pay: If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it. That’s how scammers ask you to pay. Instead, pay by credit card or check.
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Keep scammers’ tricks in mind: Don’t let anyone rush you into donating. Some scammers use names that sound very similar to those of real charities, so make sure to vet the organization. Scammers make many vague, sentimental claims but offer no specifics about how your donation will be used.
I want to help in person. Is it recommended I go to hurricane-impacted areas to help?
Unless officially requested, it is typically not recommended to visit areas affected by storms.
Typically, disaster response teams and trusted organizations handle that, and random volunteers, while appreciated in theory, do not have the safety or medical training to help with disaster recovery and might take up resources needed by locals.
There will be local health professionals, Red Cross volunteers and first responders heading to the area. Check with them to see how you can help
Contributing: C.A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK Florida
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Hurricane Melissa headed to Jamaica. Where to send aid and donations
