Haiti: Government Decrees Three Days of National Mourning After Losses Caused by Hurricane Melissa
By Jean Mapou · Port-au-Prince · · 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
PORT-AU-PRINCE.— The Haitian government has decreed three days of national mourning on Monday, November 3, Tuesday, November 4, and Wednesday, November 5, 2025, following the human losses caused by Hurricane Melissa's passage over the national territory. The decision was made this Friday by the Prime Minister's Office, at the end of a special session of the Council of Ministers held via videoconference.
The meeting, chaired by Advisor-President Leslie Voltaire, took place in the presence of the President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Laurent Saint-Cyr, and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
According to the statement, more than twenty people lost their lives in several regions of the country due to the bad weather. Significant material damage, as well as population displacements, were also recorded, reinforcing the feeling of vulnerability in the affected areas.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 45 of the decree of March 11, 2020, on the organization of public ceremonies and civil and military honors, the three days of national mourning will involve:
The lowering of the national flag throughout the territory.
The closure of discotheques, nightclubs, and similar establishments.
The cancellation or suspension of all public and private festive events.
The holding of official tributes in memory of the victims. The Prime Minister's Office calls on the population to observe these days with dignity, remembrance, and solidarity. The government also indicates that it is working to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms in the face of climatic hazards, in a context where Haiti remains particularly exposed to extreme weather phenomena. Jean Mapou
The lowering of the national flag throughout the territory.
The closure of discotheques, nightclubs, and similar establishments.
The cancellation or suspension of all public and private festive events.
The holding of official tributes in memory of the victims. The Prime Minister's Office calls on the population to observe these days with dignity, remembrance, and solidarity. The government also indicates that it is working to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms in the face of climatic hazards, in a context where Haiti remains particularly exposed to extreme weather phenomena. Jean Mapou
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