WFP Warns of Crisis in Haiti as Hurricane Season Begins

Displaced families seek shelter in Saint-Marc, Haiti, as escalating violence and the start of hurricane season deepen the humanitarian crisis.. UNICEF/Ralph Tedy Erol

As the hurricane season begins in the Caribbean, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has raised serious concerns about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

An estimated 5.7 million people—nearly half of the population—are experiencing emergency levels of hunger, placing Haiti among the five countries facing catastrophic food insecurity globally.

“Despite all the violence, displacement and collapse, WFP remains in Haiti,” said Lola Castro, WFP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, during a briefing on Tuesday following her return from the country.

Over one million people have been displaced due to escalating gang violence and insecurity. Recent hostilities in Kenscoff—a commune previously known for its local food markets—have forced around 14,000 people to flee. Many of them are now dependent on food aid after losing their homes and livelihoods to arson and destruction.

The situation in Port-au-Prince is particularly alarming. “It is probably one of the most dangerous places in the world for women and girls,” Ms. Castro noted, citing more than 6,000 reported cases of gender-based violence this year. She called for urgent support to protect vulnerable women and girls from further harm.

The WFP is also warning that its ability to respond to emergencies is severely limited. The agency's warehouses in Haiti are currently empty, with no contingency supplies or logistical capacity to provide immediate relief in the event of a storm.

With the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti only eight per cent funded so far, Ms. Castro highlighted that WFP alone needs $46.4 million over the next six months to sustain emergency operations and address root causes of hunger and malnutrition.

She warned that even a single storm could plunge millions more into crisis, saying, “We cannot forget the people of Haiti,” and called on the international community for urgent support.