Relief supplies arrive after Hurricane Melissa devastation

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of a "marathon recovery" for nations hit hard by Hurricane Melissa as it steps up relief efforts in the hardest-hit Caribbean countries.

"Our priority right now is to reach isolated communities," said Alexis Masciarelli, World Food Programme spokesperson.

"We know that all across the Caribbean there’s more than 5 million people who have been affected by Hurricane Melissa, and our commitment as the World Food Programme is to meet their immediate food needs but to also continue to support national governments in what is likely to be a marathon recovery," he added.

The hurricane-ravaged nation of Jamaica is rushing to rebuild from the catastrophic Category 5 storm that shredded the island’s western region.

And essential relief supplies are now rolling into hurricane-stricken St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, most of which had been cut off by fallen concrete posts and trees strewn across roads.

On Saturday, WFP said it received 2,000 boxes of emergency food assistance shipped from Barbados, to be distributed to shelters and the hardest hit communities in the St. Elizabeth area.

WFP is also providing assistance to Haiti and Cuba.