The Federal Government of Nigeria issued a statement of condolence and support on Sunday for Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti after Hurricane Melissa caused extensive damage across the Caribbean. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it received “with profound sorrow and deep sympathy the news of the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa on our sister nations, the Republic of Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica.”

The storm struck Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane early this week and subsequently moved over eastern Cuba and Haiti. At least 44 people have been confirmed dead across Jamaica and Haiti, with many more missing and injured. Cuba evacuated more than 735,000 residents and is assessing damage across housing, agriculture and power infrastructure.

In its statement, Nigeria’s foreign ministry described the scenes of destruction as “truly heart-wrenching,” and commended the emergency response teams in the affected countries for their “swift and courageous” efforts under challenging conditions. While offering condolences to bereaved families and wishes for recovery to the injured, Nigeria called on the international community to support the Caribbean states’ rebuilding efforts.

The League of African Ambassadors (LAA) also issued a statement of solidarity, stating that “while oceans may separate us, the deep historical, cultural and ancestral bonds that unite Africa and the Caribbean are unbreakable.” The LAA announced the launch of a “Hand of Friendship and Advocacy” initiative to coordinate diplomatic and strategic support to the Caribbean.

Though the scale of the destruction is still being assessed, the verified death toll and the magnitude of evacuations underscore the severity of the disaster. Jamaica’s electrical grid remains largely offline in many parishes, and entire rural communities in Haiti were isolated following river overflows and flooding.