Haiti: Hurricane Melissa Response - Flash Update (Situation Report No. 1 – 1 December 2025 to 4 February 2026)

This report is produced with the support of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in collaboration with humanitarian partners and based on available information.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 4,226 households received shelter and non-food item kits with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its partners, mainly in the Grand Sud.
• UNICEF distributed more than 2.4 million liters of safe drinking water, rehabilitated nine water pumps, and reached 25,537 people through cholera-related activities.
• 796 households were assessed for gender-based violence (GBV) risks by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and 660 women and girls received dignity kits.
• World Vision International provided cash assistance to 772 households in the Nippes department.
• 170 households (1,223 people) received cash assistance in Belle-Anse, implemented by ACTED under the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
• RODEP supported 400 families with hygiene kits and reached more than 4,000 people through awareness-raising and psychosocial support activities in Petit-Goâve.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Hurricane Melissa struck Haiti in late October 2025. Red alert, the highest alert level, was declared for the Grand Sud (Sud, Grand ’Anse), Nippes, Ouest and Sud-Est, while areas such as Artibonite and Nord-Ouest were placed under orange alert.
According to the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC), 46 people lost their lives, 250,000 people were affected, and approximately 840,000 structures were damaged or destroyed.
The departments of Sud, Grand ‘Anse, Sud-Est, Nippes, Ouest, Artibonite and Nord-Ouest were among the most affected. Flooding and landslides impacted homes, social infrastructure, agricultural land and irrigation systems, with consequences for livelihoods and access to essential services.
The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) activated its Anticipatory Action framework, enabling the mobilization of USD 4 million for targeted preventive interventions.
These actions were complemented by a post-shock humanitarian response, implemented in a context of limited resources and increasing needs (see Flash Update #5).