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

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.

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.

Hurricane Melissa brought hurricane-force gusts to Bermuda overnight and will weaken as it heads north, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Maps show its forecast path.

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly called for an end to a U.S. economic embargo on Cuba despite lobbying by Washington that included sharing an accusation that up to 5,000 Cubans are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Rescue operations and urgent evacuations continued in Cuba on Friday, as people remained trapped by severe flooding left by the torrential rains from Hurricane Melissa on rural areas and towns across the affected provinces on the eastern end of the island.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in eastern Cuba as a Category 3 storm early Wednesday after bringing violent winds and heavy rainfall to Jamaica, where it made landfall as a Category 5 storm Tuesday. Images are now showing the destruction, particularly flooding and structural damage, caused by the storm.

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.