Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on 28 October as a Category 5 storm, causing widespread damage before continuing its path across Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Due to the severity of the impact, Jamaica remains the main focus for response and recovery efforts.

The Emergency Telecommunications Sector (ETS) is supporting the Government-led response in Jamaica, coordinated by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) with support from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). As of 02 December, the ETS is prioritizing efforts to sustain the 65 existing critical live-saving connectivity sites, serving over 24,400 community members and humanitarian responders. The sector is shifting its approach by focusing on maintenance and support for existing sites as work transitions from immediate response to recovery. ETS partners are planning a phased withdrawal, prioritizing continued support for established connectivity centres.

Some partners still have telecom equipment in Jamaica, and there is a need to clarify procedures for donating this equipment to local communities or authorities, as well as creating an exit plan—especially since the SpaceX free disaster relief service will end on 20 December.

Mobile network operators are repairing and gradually restoring connectivity across multiple location, especially in the hardest-hit Parishes.

The ETS coordinator and deputy coordinator left Jamaica on 30 November and 10 December, respectively, but the deputy continues to provide remote coordination among government, UN, NGOs, and private sector partners. An ETC Information Management Officer is also offering remote support focused on operations reporting and communications. 

                                                                         Latest updates from ETS Jamaica

• Site tracking: Support coordinated response efforts by submitting site data via the KoboToolbox form, which works offline. The Dashboard for full overview can be accessed here.

  

   

• Disaster Connectivity Mapping (DCM): Access the latest DCM map online. Field teams are encouraged to use Speedchecker to contribute to data collection efforts. 

  

   

• Drones: To obtain operational approval for humanitarian drone use in Jamaica, please email pilot details, drone specifications, and planned flight locations to jamaica@flyinglabs.jm. 

   

• Provision of connectivity services: To provide connectivity as a service, register through the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to secure operational approval and support coordinated efforts.