Storm on the horizon: preparing for Tropical Storm Melissa in Jamaica

Tropical Storm Melissa is gaining strength in the Caribbean and is projected to become a major hurricane as early as this weekend. With Jamaica already under watch, forecasters expect dangerous rainfall, flooding, and landslides across the island and neighboring regions. 

We are directly in touch with our long-time partner, The Animal House Jamaica, to help secure food, supplies, and shelter ahead of the storm. This immediate support will help protect the animals in their care as they brace for potential flooding, power outages, and damage. We’ll continue monitoring the storm closely and preparing for rapid deployment should animals and local shelters be impacted. Our disaster response team remains on alert to expand this support, including expert guidance and additional emergency relief for both domestic and wild animals. 

For animals, these conditions can lead to displacement, injury, loss of habitat, and damage to already fragile shelter infrastructure. Even if Melissa skirts Jamaica’s coast, the island may still face severe impacts from wind and water. With exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures fueling the storm’s intensity, this is part of a troubling trend: stronger, faster-moving storms that put increased pressure on communities—human and animal alike—already on the front lines of climate change. 

Lessons from Hurricane Matthew

When Hurricane Matthew struck in 2016, IFAW was on the ground in Jamaica and North Carolina, US providing urgent relief. We helped rescue community animals, feed displaced animals, repair damaged shelters, and support the rehabilitation of injured wildlife. Working alongside local authorities and as a founding member of the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC), our response combined immediate aid with longer-term recovery. 

That commitment didn’t end when the skies cleared. We continued working with local partners to strengthen resilience and improve preparedness—efforts that remain essential today as storms grow more frequent and more intense. We remain vigilant as Tropical Storm Melissa approaches. Our team is ready. And with your support, we will act swiftly to protect animals, restore habitats, and support recovery across the region.