Cuba in chaos as Hurricane Melissa strikes island while Trump mobilizes aid for devastating Jamaica aftermath: Live updates

The US State Department announced it has deployed a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team and activated US-based Urban Search and Rescue teams to bolster response efforts.

‘These teams are working with affected countries and local communities to determine what assistance is needed and with interagency, international and US military partners to coordinate emergency response efforts,’ the department said.

Speaking with reporters onboard Air Force One as he finishes his visit to Asia, Donald Trump said he is prepared to offer assistance to Jamaica when cleanup efforts begin and the monumental task of rebuilding begins.

‘On a humanitarian basis, we have to, so we’re watching it closely,’ he said.

‘We’re prepared to move. It’s doing tremendous damages as we speak.’

Trump also marveled at the storm’s strength. It was a Category 5 when it made landfall in Jamaica – the worst the island has ever seen.

‘I’ve never seen that before. I guess it can get that high, but I’ve never seen it,’ he said.

Jamaica has been declared a ‘disaster area’ after Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc on the island leaving a trail of destruction.

Entire towns have been left underwater and tens of thousands of tourists remain trapped after Melissa, the most powerful storm in the Caribbean’s modern history, tore into the nation yesterday.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the island was a ‘disaster area’ as he seeks to ‘prevent any exploitation at a time when citizens are securing food, water and supplies’ in the midst of the tragedy.

The hurricane, which had top sustained wind speeds of 115 mph as it made its second landfall, is now expected to track towards the northeast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Melissa will strike southeastern or central Bahamas as a strong Category 2 storm Wednesday, bringing a dangerous storm surge and strong gales.

The Bahamas could be pummeled with up to 10 inches of rain, which forecasters warn could trigger flash floods and landslides.

By Wednesday evening, Melissa is expected to continue northeast, accelerating over the open Atlantic Ocean, and strike Bermuda as a Category 1 hurricane on Thursday.

Pope Leo offered his thoughts and prayers for those impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

‘In recent days, Hurricane Melissa has struck Jamaica, a storm of catastrophic force that is causing severe flooding. At this very hour, it is crossing Cuba with devastating force. Thousands of people have been displaced, and homes, infrastructure, and several hospitals have been damaged,’ he said.

‘I assure everyone of my closeness, praying for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing, and for those communities who, as they await the storm’s developments, are living through hours of anxiety and worry. I encourage the civil authorities to do everything possible. And I thank the Christian communities, together with volunteer organizations, for the assistance they are providing.’

Hurricane Melissa was moving across Cuba on Wednesday.

Authorities in Cuba had evacuated more than 735,000 people, President Miguel Díaz-Canel said.

Forecasters warned the storm would cause catastrophic damage in Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second-largest city, and nearby areas.

Hurricane Melissa pummeled Cuba early Wednesday after leaving a path of destruction across Jamaica, where 25,000 tourists remain stranded and entire towns were under water.

The ‘storm of the century’ could take days or even weeks to recover in the worst-hit parts of Jamaica, with landslides and fallen trees and power lines making it difficult for rescue crews to access some flood-ravaged regions.

Meanwhile in Cuba, as many as 735,000 residents heeded warnings from the nation’s president and emergency response crews as they fled their homes along the coast and mountainous regions in the path of the storm ahead of its arrival on Wednesday.