UNDP says Hurricane Melissa generated 5 million tons of debris across western Jamaica
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported that Hurricane Melissa left nearly five million metric tons of debris
NEW YORK, United States (MNTV) – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported that Hurricane Melissa left nearly five million metric tons of debris scattered across western Jamaica, with initial damage estimates reaching the equivalent of 30% of the country’s GDP.
“Initial estimates show that the damage caused is approximately the equivalent of 30% of Jamaica’s GDP, a figure that’s expected to rise,” said Kishan Khoday, UNDP resident representative for the Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Speaking at a virtual briefing, Khoday said the hurricane left a trail of devastation across western and central Jamaica, and that UNDP’s digital Impact Assessment platform—powered by artificial intelligence—has mapped the destruction in real time.
“Close to 5 million metric tons of debris have been created across western Jamaica. This would fill approximately 500,000 standard truckloads,” he said.
“To give a sense of scale, this includes 2 million metric tons of building debris from damaged structures, 1.3 million tons of vegetation debris from forests and landscapes, and 1.4 million metric tons of personal property debris.”
Khoday added that UNDP is prioritizing “recovery plans and strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises, community solar initiatives, debris removal, and ecosystem restoration.”
Hurricane Melissa struck Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba in late October, leaving widespread destruction and heavy loss of life. The death toll from flooding and landslides in Haiti and Jamaica has risen to 75, according to local officials.
In Cuba, where official fatality figures are still pending, the UN estimates that around 2.2 million people have been affected, with damage to roughly 60,000 homes, 461 health centers, and 1,552 schools.
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