Ensuring the Future: Lessons from Hurricane Melissa & Jamaica’s Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Efforts

Myton Gully, Jamaica Before → After . Once prone to heavy rainfall and flooding that devastated nearby communities, the upgraded crossing withstood Hurricane Melissa—safeguarding homes, livelihoods, and critical transport routes.
January 19, 2026
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  • Historically, heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding at Myton Gully, inundating hundreds of homes upstream and frequently closing the road.
  • Upgrades under the Government of Jamaica and World Bank funded Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP), meant the Myton Gully crossing withstood the heavy rainfall and flooding from Hurricane Melissa.
  • The improvements implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, under the DVRP, safeguarded homes, livelihoods, and critical transport routes—preventing the losses communities faced in previous storms.
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World Bank