‘Single storm’ could push thousands of Haitians into hunger, WFP warns as hurricane season begins
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As hurricane season begins, the WFP warns that Haiti—already reeling from violence and hunger—is one storm away from catastrophe.
WFP Warns: One Storm Could Plunge Haiti into Hunger Crisis as Hurricane Season Begins
As the Caribbean enters a new hurricane season, the World Food Programme (WFP) has issued an urgent warning: a single major storm could plunge hundreds of thousands of Haitians into a deepening hunger crisis.
Haiti’s extreme vulnerability—exacerbated by its mountainous terrain, fragile infrastructure, and political instability—has left the country dangerously exposed. According to Lola Castro, WFP’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, humanitarian supplies in Haiti are at a critical low:
“This year, we start the hurricane season with an empty warehouse. We have no stocks for emergency assistance—no food, no cash, no means for a rapid response,” Castro said.
She emphasized that the WFP urgently needs $46 million to respond effectively and prevent disaster if a hurricane or tropical storm strikes. In the past, the agency maintained supplies to aid 250,000 to 500,000 people, but this year, that safety net no longer exists.
Dire Food Insecurity and Gender-Based Violence
The warning comes as Haiti grapples with rising hunger and escalating violence, particularly in the capital Port-au-Prince, where gangs are estimated to control 85% of the city. Castro painted a grim picture of conditions on the ground, especially for women and girls:
“Six thousand women and girls have reported some type of gender-based violence. Port-au-Prince is probably one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman or a girl now,” she said.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has been without a functioning head of state. Gangs have surged in power, displacing communities, blocking aid, and fueling a security and humanitarian collapse.
UN Sounds Alarm for International Support
In April, the United Nations warned that Haiti is at risk of descending into total chaos without immediate and sustained international aid. The WFP’s appeal echoes this call, urging donor countries to step up before it’s too late.
“We are very concerned that a single storm can put hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti again into humanitarian catastrophe and hunger,” Castro stressed.
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