Hurricane Melissa has reportedly left more than 4.8 million tonnes of debris across western Jamaica and the government is being urged to act quickly in its removal.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says it satellite-based analysis shows that the debris is blocking roads, obstructing access to schools, hospitals and clinics, farms and markets, slowing the delivery of relief supplies and delaying the restoration of key services.
UNDP resident representative in Jamaica, Kishan Khoday, says that debris removal is critical to kickstart early recovery.
The agency's comments come even as the government has announced its intention to launch a period of national clean up.
The UNDP estimates that debris would fill approximately 480,000 standard truckloads and includes approximately 2.1 million tonnes of building debris, 1.3 million tonnes of vegetation debris and 1.4 million tonnes of personal property waste.
It says these are minimal estimates based on the latest damage data from UNOSAT and are expected to increase as additional analyses and field assessments are completed.
The agency says the devastation underscores how the intensifying impacts of climate change are fuelling more frequent and severe disasters.
It is also an urgent reminder, as the world gathers for COP30 this week, of the need to scale up investment in disaster risk reduction and preparedness efforts globally.
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