Hurricane Melissa: Ottawa says no Canadians dead, offers aid – nationally

No Canadians have been reported dead as a result of Hurricane Melissa making landfall in the Caribbean, the MP overseeing Canada’s foreign affairs ministry said Wednesday.

Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development, said Canada is “carefully” monitoring the situation and is ready to assist with any local requests for aid or humanitarian assistance.

“It’s a big disaster. It’s stage 5, it’s the biggest that Jamaica has ever seen in recorded history,” said Sarai in Parliament.

“Nothing can withstand this pressure.”

Sarayi noted that Cuba and Jamaica have both contributed $4 million to the National Nations emergency fund while Canada has contributed more than $29 million this year.

There were similar distributions from Canadian-backed funds run by the Red Cross and World Food programs, as well as Canadian projects supporting hurricane resilience, his office said.

“We are working with both governments to see what else we can do to help (and) any relief we can do for people,” Sarai said.

“If any request is made, I think Canada would look at it carefully, but we will do that under scrutiny if those requests are made.”

World News Canada has sent its rapid evacuation team to the region to provide emergency response and Canadian assistance to Canadian citizens.

The department said that public officials stand “ready to provide assistance to Canadians as needed.” That said as of October 23, Global Situations has received 138 requests for information from Canadians in the region.

“To date, we are not aware of any Canadian citizens who have been injured or killed as a result of this storm,” reads an email from the department.

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The email said 2,113 Canadians are registered in Jamaica, 1,136 in the Cuban Republic, 3,206 in Haiti, 1,50 in the Cayman Islands, 235 in the Caicos Islands.

Global News reports that Canada’s high commission in Jamaica has temporarily suspended non-consular operations and the building will remain inaccessible until further notice. The High Commission is always working remotely and Consular calls are handled in Ottawa.

Canada’s embassy in Cuba remains on reduced staff, it said, adding that all Canadian personnel in the region are “safe and accounted for.”

Before the storm made landfall on Tuesday in Jamaica, Canada’s Global Canada has been warning Canadians in the region to register with the Department, follow local orders and illegal exits online.

World News Canada said the situation with Hurricane Melissa “emerged quickly” and that Canadians in the region should avoid all travel to Gamanca, Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunus in Cuba.

It also said Canadians should avoid non-essential travel to the southeast and to the Turks and Caicos Islands and Bermuda.

The storm caused power outages and many deaths.

“Global Affairs Canada is closely monitoring the situation in the region, and we are communicating with people’s organizations on the ground to better understand the needs of those affected,” the ministry said.

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