Hurricane Melissa has claimed at least 20 lives in Haiti through devastating flooding, even though the storm never made direct landfall. Aid organizations are calling for donations.

PETIT-GOAVE, Haiti (AP) — 25 people have died in southern Haiti after a river flooded by Hurricane Melissa burst its banks, mayor says. With communication networks in Jamaica crippled, the true scale of the disaster remains unknown.

The intensification of armed clashes in Port-au-Prince has forced at least 70% of health-care facilities to close. Those that are still operational are seeing an influx of twice as many patients as before, mainly those with gunshot wounds, victims of sexual violence and severely malnourished displaced people with no access to essential services.

Hurricane Melissa left at least dozens dead amid widespread destruction across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, where roofless homes, toppled utility poles and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Melissa has begun dumping rain on Hispaniola as forecasters warned of a flood risk in parts of the Caribbean region this week.