The Haitian Health Foundation has been mobilizing for days to prepare communities for Hurricane Melissa, now predicted to become a Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean. In Haiti, it has already been raining for days, causing mudslides, washing away homes, trees, crops, and causing injuries and deaths. Before this most recent hurricane, in the Grand’Anse, thousands had already fled the violence of the capital to come to the Grand’Anse, where HHF is located. This means we need to further stretch the already scarce resources.
“So many displaced people are already sleeping in the streets, on the beaches, anywhere they can find,” reports Nadesha Mijoba, HHF Country Director in Haiti. “Working together with local officials, we are encouraging people to move into the areas away from water. Dangerous mudslides are expected which will make traveling even more dangerous.”
According to Accuweather, “Melissa has already turned deadly across Haiti and the Dominican Republic, but AccuWeather meteorologists warn that the worst may be yet to come with the storm on track to intensify.” https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/category-5-melissa-to-bring-catastrophic-impacts-to-the-western-caribbean-haiti-jamaica-and-cuba-at-risk/1828929
HHF’s staff in Haiti has been preparing for the potential damage that Melissa may leave behind to prevent the outbreak of cholera with hygiene kits, addressing the psychological impact of this disaster by mobilizing our mental health team, coordinating with our local hospital as well as preparing our clinics to treat injuries from this devastating Hurricane, and working closely with our partners on the ground to leverage our efforts while avoiding duplication.
“Many people living in the Grand’Anse are already very vulnerable, without housing, very little food, soap, or any essentials. Hurricane Melissa will now destroy more houses and subsistence crops. It’s hard to predict the injuries that will happen from this disaster, but we’re grateful that our staff is on the ground, preparing for the worst,” says Marilyn Lowney, HHF Executive Director.
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