Mercy Corps Preparing to Respond as Tropical Storm Melissa Threatens Haiti and Jamaica

October 24, 2025

Mercy Corps is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Melissa, which has already brought deadly flooding to Haiti and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane over the weekend, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. The storm is forecast to bring heavy rainfall and flooding across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Haiti and Jamaica are currently under hurricane watch, with up to 20 inches of rain expected in some areas.

In Haiti, Mercy Corps is ready to respond directly in the south, where we have already been helping communities prepare for storms like Melissa. Currently, we are reaching more than 40,000 people through disaster preparedness training and mobile early warning systems. We are also supporting 7,100 farmers in adopting climate-smart techniques that improve crop yields and helping 900 small and medium businesses across three regions keep fresh food available. 

Hugh Aprile, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, says: 

“We are deeply concerned for vulnerable communities already impacted by severe rainfall from Tropical Storm Melissa. We are prepared to support immediate needs, prioritizing clean water and emergency cash for families who may lose homes or livelihoods. Our priority is to help families stay safe, restore access to essentials like clean water, and ensure local organizations have the resources they need to respond quickly. Mercy Corps has invested in local preparedness because we know that when communities lead, both response and recovery happen faster and more equitably.”

Across the Caribbean, Mercy Corps supports community-led preparedness and response through its Caribbean Resilience Initiative, including Resilience Hubs equipped with solar power, potable water, connectivity, and emergency supplies to help local communities activate and respond quickly to meet urgent needs during and after a storm. In Jamaica, the Caribbean Resilience Initiative currently works with local organizations to implement Resilience Hubs and disaster preparedness programs on the southeast coast. These local partners will be at the forefront of Mercy Corps’ response in Jamaica. 

Since 2016, Mercy Corps has mobilized over $36 million for preparedness, emergency response, and climate adaptation programming in the region, working alongside local organizations to protect lives and livelihoods before, during, and after extreme weather events. Mercy Corps has been a leading emergency responder to major hurricanes in the Caribbean, helping impacted communities from Haiti to The Bahamas to Puerto Rico recover devastated livelihoods and economies, and build back stronger for the future.

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