Hurricane Melissa live updates: At least 49 people killed in Bermuda due to storm

Jamaican authorities have warned that scammers are “attempting to take advantage of generosity” through fake donation websites in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

Dr. Hon. Andrew Wheatley, a minister without portfolios, told reporters on Thursday that “unscrupulous players” around the world were “trying to take advantage” of the crisis.

He said Jamaica’s cyber incident response team had issued a warning to local and foreign donors on the fraudulent websites, advising people against donating through them. official channel,

At least 28 ‘suspicious domains’ have so far been identified that are “attempting to divert contributions from legitimate sources”.

“These malicious actors are deliberately creating fake websites with names similar to Jamaica’s official donation portals,” he said. He said that CIRT hopes that more people will become active in the coming days.

As with disasters, nonprofit groups said cash is the best way to help, as donations of unwanted goods can overwhelm already strained systems.

experts Recommend using sites like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance to check out unfamiliar charities before donating.

Here are some of the work and ways we are being done to assist those affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and beyond:

Satellite imagery shows widespread power outages Jamaica As hurricane Melissa washed up in the Caribbean Sea.

Energy Minister Daryl Vaz said more than 70 percent of the island’s electricity customers remained without power as of Thursday morning, with downed lines blocking roads.

At least 34 people have died so far, including eight in Jamaica and one in the Dominican Republic. At least 25 people, including 10 children, have died in flooding caused by the storm in Haiti, officials said.

Hurricane Melissa is slowing down as it moves northeast through the Caribbean.

It is expected to continue weakening as it enters cooler waters across Bermuda.

Melissa will move eastwards across the Atlantic as a pocket of low pressure air, bringing some winds and heavy rain to the UK over the weekend and early next week.

The government announced that the UK will provide an additional £5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to help the Caribbean region recover from Hurricane Melissa.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the additional funding is in line with a £2.5 million aid package announced earlier this week.

The money will be used to send humanitarian supplies to help people whose homes have been damaged and who do not have electricity, including more than 3,000 shelter kits and 1,500 solar-powered lanterns.

Part of the funding will also be used to match public donations of up to £1 million for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ appeal in support of Jamaica.

Kingston escaped the full force of Hurricane Melissa, with the city’s main airport reopening to receive planes loaded with emergency supplies.

But in the island’s southwest, the devastation extended for miles: entire towns were submerged, power was knocked out and cell towers were toppled.

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said, “The devastation is enormous.”

Melissa slammed Jamaica on Tuesday with winds of up to 185 mph, the most powerful hurricane to hit the country since record-keeping began in 1851.

While the British government has arranged for special flights to bring stranded citizens home, much of Jamaica remains in a state of crisis.

Officials estimate the death toll from the storm could reach billions of dollars.

The death toll from Hurricane Melissa rose to 49 on Thursday as the storm moves north through Bermuda.

Thirty people were killed in Haiti, with no direct impacts but torrential rains that caused life-threatening flooding.

Jamaica, which is still grappling with the impact, has confirmed 19 deaths as governments and humanitarian organizations mobilize recovery funds for the region.

Bermuda was preparing for the storm overnight, with it expected to dissipate by Friday morning. The local weather service was expecting a category two hurricane.

The intensity of the storm has diminished but the damage has been extensive, with rescue teams still working to locate missing people and communities cut off by floods and landslides.