U.S. delivers $3m disaster aid to Cuban families hit by Hurricane Melissa

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The U.S. Department of State has announced a $3 million disaster assistance package for the Cuban people affected by Hurricane Melissa, marking a significant humanitarian intervention amid widespread destruction across eastern Cuba.

In a fact sheet issued on Tuesday, the Department said the assistance, backed by the Trump Administration, is aimed at supporting post-disaster recovery while ensuring aid reaches vulnerable families directly and transparently, without interference.

According to the statement, the relief effort is expected to support about 6,000 families, or roughly 24,000 people, in the hardest-hit provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo.

The first phase of deliveries began on January 14, with charter flights departing Miami for Holguín, followed by another flight to Santiago de Cuba on January 16.

Each flight is carrying more than 525 food kits and 650 hygiene and water treatment kits, providing immediate relief to over 1,000 families. Additional supplies are scheduled to arrive aboard a commercial vessel docking in Santiago de Cuba in the coming weeks.

The assistance includes food staples such as rice, beans, oil and sugar; hygiene and water treatment kits with purification tablets and storage containers; kitchen sets with cooking utensils; and household essentials including sheets, blankets and solar lanterns to address power outages.

U.S. officials said they are working closely with the Catholic Church to distribute aid directly to communities, underscoring a commitment to accountability and to standing with the Cuban people as they recover and seek a better future.