Hurricane Melissa: Government Tries to Avert the Worst

Facing the threat of Hurricane Melissa, classified as Category 5, the Haitian government is strengthening its emergency measures to protect the population. Three deaths, sixteen injured, and several dozen flooded homes have already been reported. Authorities are calling for vigilance and national solidarity, while the capital prepares for extreme weather conditions. During the 27th edition of the « Mardis de la Nation » (Tuesdays of the Nation), the National Emergency Operations Center (COUN) presented the measures taken by the government to limit the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. This cyclone, classified as Category 5, is moving at a speed of 15 km/h, with gusts reaching nearly 295 km/h and rainfall exceeding 400 millimeters. These conditions risk causing severe flooding and landslides, particularly in the Southern peninsula. According to the Directorate General of Civil Protection (DGPC), three people have lost their lives, sixteen others have been injured, and several homes have been flooded. Two deaths were recorded in Fontamara (West) and one in Marigot (Southeast). The DGPC director, Emmanuel Pierre, reminded that the country has remained on maximum alert since October 20, and that rescue teams are relentlessly mobilized. Under the presidency of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, the National Committee for Risk and Disaster Management (CNGRD) has strengthened emergency measures. The Grand Sud (Southern region) is on red alert, while the Southeast, West, Artibonite, and part of the Northwest were on orange alert at the time of this conference. Shelters have been opened, and food, hygiene, and financial kits are being distributed to the most affected families. Both the DGPC and the Hydrometeorological Unit (UHM) are continuously monitoring the cyclone's trajectory. Information bulletins are broadcast every two hours on traditional media and social networks. Field agents are also intervening in markets, schools, and vulnerable neighborhoods to reiterate safety instructions. By the end of the day, as the red alert was extended to the West department, the government announced that all public and private institutions would be closed on October 29, 2025, to reduce the risks associated with the hurricane's passage. Schools in the region have also closed their doors, with no reopening date yet communicated. « We are not letting our guard down », Emmanuel Pierre stated, calling for discipline, caution, and national solidarity. The government insists: every preventive action counts to save lives as Melissa continues to threaten the territory. The editorial team