Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledges "immediate humanitarian aid" to Cuba as State Department responds to effects of Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean.

A charity is appealing for donations to support hospitals in Cuba in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The category two storm left a trail of devastation across the Caribbean, causing landslides and widespread flooding in Cuba, where the authorities said more than 700,000 people were evacuated.

Before the storm barreled north over Cuba, at least seven people died across the Caribbean as the storm approached Jamaica. See the storm's impact on Cuba.

After Melissa moves away from Jamaica, Cuba is next in line for the powerful hurricane’s fury. Landfall is expected very early Wednesday morning, likely a couple hours after midnight, but impacts have already begun.

Emergency relief flights began landing at Jamaica’s main international airport, which reopened late Wednesday, as crews distributed water, food and other basic supplies.

Officials say at least 25 people have died across Haiti. In Cuba, officials report collapsed houses and blocked roads, with 735,000 people in shelters. Jamaica faces widespread power outages and communication blackouts.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall early Wednesday morning in Cuba as a powerful Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph after slamming Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department had issued a formal Declaration of Humanitarian Assistance for Cuba, where U.S. government aid is rare.

The U.N. General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba for a 33rd year.

Miami Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez urged the Trump administration to demand that Mexico cease oil shipments to Cuba and end contracts with doctors in Cuban medical missions as part of the upcoming renegotiation of a trade deal with the Mexican government.

Cuba, the biggest island in the Caribbean, is no stranger to destructive storms. But as Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic storms in history, slammed into the island, officials kept up warnings about the dangers of heavy rain, flash flooding, landslides and damaging winds.