The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has risen to at least 30, with 20 others still missing, according to a report released Thursday by Haiti’s Civil Protection Directorate.
The city of Petit-Goâve was the hardest hit, where 21 residents — including 10 children — were swept away by the La Digue River. Other fatalities were reported in Grand’Anse (2), Nippes (3), Artibonite (1), and the Southeast (1). Twenty people were also injured.
Material losses are extensive. Civil Protection officials say that 2,399 families, representing roughly 15,800 people, have taken shelter in temporary facilities, while more than 1,000 homes have been flooded. Roads and bridges have been heavily damaged across multiple departments, including the Southeast, Grand’Anse, South, Artibonite, Center, and Northwest.
At a press briefing at the National Emergency Operations Center on Thursday, Interior Minister announced the lifting of the nationwide red alert. Education Minister Antoine Augustin also confirmed that classes would resume across the country starting Friday, October 31.
According to the Hydrometeorological Unit, Melissa has now moved away from the region but left behind unstable weather conditions that could trigger isolated showers in the southern peninsula, the West, and potentially the Center, Northeast, and North regions overnight.
Following the devastation caused by the powerful hurricane, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé convened an emergency crisis meeting on Wednesday, October 29, at the Prime Minister’s Office. The meeting brought together key members of the transitional government, including presidential adviser Leslie Voltaire, security officials, and ministers responsible for infrastructure, agriculture, and social welfare.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s “commitment to supporting the victims” and issued immediate instructions for a full national mobilization. He outlined three urgent priorities:
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The Ministry of Public Works must clear blocked roads and restore access routes to enable aid delivery.
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The Ministry of Agriculture is tasked with assessing crop and livestock losses and preparing a plan to assist farmers and restart food production.
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The Economic and Social Assistance Fund will deploy emergency relief, including food, drinking water, and temporary shelters.
The National Committee for Risk and Disaster Management has been placed on permanent alert to oversee field operations in coordination with local authorities and humanitarian organizations.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé issued a solemn call for “national unity and solidarity among all Haitians, both at home and abroad.”
Meanwhile, international aid efforts are beginning to take shape, though the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) — long a key actor in Haiti’s disaster response — has yet to make a public statement. The United Kingdom announced it would provide £2.5 million (approximately €2.8 million) in emergency funding for countries affected by Melissa, according to its Foreign Office. France also confirmed plans to send emergency relief kits and mobile water treatment units in the coming days as part of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
As Haiti once again faces the test of natural disaster, the government has pledged a swift and coordinated response while preparing plans for reconstruction in the hardest-hit areas.
