Hurricane Melissa has disrupted the education of nearly 477,000 children in Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica due to both damage caused by its passage and the temporary closure of schools, warned the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) on Monday. 'Beyond being places of learning, schools provide protection and stability for children. When education is disrupted, the impact on children's learning, well-being, and future opportunities can be profound, perpetuating cycles of disadvantage,' said Unicef Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes. Melissa caused damage or closure of many schools, forcing children 'to miss classes or study in temporary spaces that may not be equipped for adequate learning,' according to the Unicef statement. Based on Unicef's latest assessment, a total of 900,000 children, girls, and adolescents 'are in a situation of humanitarian need, including those suffering delays in their education continuity.' Unicef has distributed 'school-in-a-box' kits and teaching materials in Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti, and is also working with local authorities to prioritize the return to school for children after the cyclone and ensure the safe and rapid reopening of schools. In Jamaica, where Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane (the maximum on the Saffir-Simpson scale), it left 45 people dead and fifteen missing, while in Haiti it caused 43 deaths and in the Dominican Republic, one. With Melissa, this is the thirteenth cyclone of the Atlantic hurricane season so far: hurricanes Erin, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, and Melissa, and tropical storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Fernand, Jerry, Karen, and Lorenzo. Among them, only Chantal made landfall in the U.S., where it left two people dead in North Carolina in July.
