Hurricane Melissa devastates Haiti, leaving at least 30 dead and several missing

Hurricane Melissa has unleashed catastrophic flooding across Haiti, killing at least 30 people and leaving 20 others missing, according to authorities. Most of the devastation has been reported in the country’s southern region, where days of torrential rain triggered deadly landslides and washed away homes and roads.

In the coastal town of Petit-Goâve, residents described scenes of horror as floodwaters swept through their communities. “The water suddenly came rushing down on us,” said Jean Deroche, a local resident. “There were seven of us at home, and only two survived. We had three young children and two elderly relatives we couldn’t save. The flood swept them away, and they died.”

Many survivors say they are now struggling without food, clean water, or shelter. “The weather has devastated us here,” said Michelet Degange, another resident. “We’ve lost both people and possessions. We don’t even have a place to sleep. We’re out on the streets with nowhere to rest, hungry and suffering twice over, enduring double misery.”

Although Hurricane Melissa did not make landfall in Haiti, its slow-moving rain bands pounded the island for days, inundating entire neighborhoods already weakened by poverty and political instability. Emergency teams have been deployed to the hardest-hit areas, but access remains limited due to collapsed roads and rising waters.

Officials warn that the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continue across the flood-ravaged southern coast.