Port-au-Prince, Friday, October 24, 2025 — At least three people are dead and five others have been injured as Tropical Storm Melissa strikes Haiti, according to a report (#2) released Thursday, October 23, by the Civil Protection Directorate, highlighting the urgent need for immediate response as the storm continues to batter vulnerable communities.
Victims are confirmed in the Southeast and Artibonite departments, where many homes lie in ruins in Marigot and Petit-Goâve. In Artibonite, flooding has gripped Gonaïves, Terre-Neuve, Grande-Saline, and Desdunes. Elsewhere, floodwaters have surged in Port-de-Paix, Saint-Louis-du-Nord, and Anse-à-Fôleur, putting even more residents at immediate risk.
A landslide has blocked the road between Maricolas and Dolan in Artibonite, further isolating residents. In the Northeast, the Saint-Martin River has overflowed after relentless rainfall, destroying a bridge in Sainte-Suzanne and leaving communities dangerously cut off.
Countless homes in Port-de-Paix have been damaged or destroyed; local authorities are racing to assess the scale of devastation even as the threat remains ongoing.
As of Friday, Haiti’s Hydrometeorological Unit (UHM) warns that Melissa is advancing east-southeast at just 4 km/h, roughly 445 kilometers southwest of Port-au-Prince. The storm is expected to unleash torrential downpours, with rainfall totals reaching up to 75 millimeters across the vulnerable nation.
The UHM has issued a strong alert: the storm’s unpredictable path makes the situation extremely perilous. Heighten vigilance in all at-risk areas. The departments of Sud, Sud-Est, Grand’Anse, Nippes, and Ouest are in grave danger from torrential rain, violent winds, sudden floods, and deadly landslides.
Meteorologists now warn Melissa could strengthen to hurricane-force by Saturday, prompting the UHM to maintain an orange alert nationwide and to urge the utmost caution, especially throughout the southern region and Ouest department where the situation could become critical.
According to the Civil Protection Directorate’s Facebook page, it had already been raining since 3 a.m. Friday in several municipalities, including L’Asile, Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, Anse-à-Veau, Paillant, Fond-des-Nègres, Petite-Rivière, Grand-Boucan, Baradères, and Miragoâne.
Civil Protection Prepares Emergency Shelters
The Civil Protection Committee of Beaumont announced that several emergency shelters have been made available to residents:
In Beaumont:
- Lycée National de Beaumont
- École Nationale Nouvelle
- Église Évangélique de Beaumont
In Mouline:
- École Nationale de Mouline
- École Nationale EPGC de Saint-Martin
- Église Baptiste de Perrier
In Chardonette:
- École Saint Gérard
- Église Baptiste de Chardonnette
The General Directorate of Civil Protection, working with the National System for Risk and Disaster Management, has issued an urgent and public appeal: Residents—especially those in high-risk zones—must stay alert and immediately follow these safety directives:
- If you reside in an area prone to flooding or landslides, act now: seek safe shelter for yourself and your family without delay.
- Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to cross floodwaters—on foot, on horseback, by car, or by motorcycle—as lives are at stake.
- Check on vulnerable people near you, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children. Help them move to safe areas if needed.
- Store all important documents and valuables in waterproof bags or high places where floodwaters cannot reach them.
- Listen only to official weather updates from authorities. Do not share or act on unverified information or rumors.
- All navigation along the southern coast is strictly forbidden—fishermen and small boat operators must immediately stay off the sea to avoid fatal danger.
The Haitian National Police Mobilizes
In an urgent statement dated October 22, the Haitian National Police (PNH) reiterated its unwavering commitment to protecting and assisting the population as Tropical Storm Melissa approaches, especially in the most imperiled southern departments.
All police units are now on maximum alert, coordinating swiftly with the Civil Protection Directorate and government agencies to secure evacuation sites and shelters needed for immediate protection.
The PNH has urgently deployed logistical and human resources for search and rescue and to deliver emergency aid, upholding national vigilance—including countering armed gangs—even as the storm poses a deadly, ongoing menace to the country.
Authorities continue to issue grave warnings: worsening conditions will further increase risks of flooding, landslides, and infrastructure collapse. All citizens must remain on high alert and fully cooperate until the crisis passes.
