Haiti is bracing for the full impact of Hurricane Melissa, which has escalated to a Category 5 storm, prompting the full activation of the National Emergency Operations Center (COUN). The hurricane, initially classified as Category 4, was upgraded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on October 26, 2025. A joint press conference on Saturday afternoon, attended by representatives from the Presidential Transitional Council, government ministers, and officials from Haiti’s Hydrometeorological Unit (UHM), formalized the maximum alert level. Paul Antoine Bien-Aimé, Minister of the Interior and Communities, confirmed that the South and Grand’Anse departments are on red alert, while other regions face orange alerts for heavy rainfall. Over 350 shelters have been opened across the Grand Sud, accommodating more than 900 families (3,653 people). The provisional death toll remains at four, with 16 injured since October 21. Significant damage has been reported in agriculture, with banana plantations in Nippes and the South severely affected. Road infrastructure has also suffered, with landslides and flooding disrupting traffic in multiple regions. The DGPC has issued recommendations, including preventive evacuations and school closures, to mitigate further risks.
Hurricane : Full activation of the National Emergency Operations Center, Melissa in Cat. 5 (video)
