IOM reports high displacements due to record violence in Port-au-Prince Haiti

By Anjali Sharma

UNITED NATIONS – UN migration agency chief in Haiti Grégoire Goodstein on Wednesday said that intensifying violence has forced over 60,000 people to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince, marked another sign of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

IOM and UN agencies reported gang violence, displacement and instability have long crippled Port-au-Prince and other parts of the country, but attacks over the past two months have shattered the few remaining gang-free areas, left communities increasingly vulnerable.

The Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince remains closed, and many neighborhoods once seen as relatively safe are now under siege.

IOM said that areas including Delmas, Carrefour-Feuilles, Martissant, Fort National, Pétion-Ville and Tabarre have been heavily impacted, forced thousands of residents to flee in search of safety.

The majority have sought refuge in 48 displacement sites, in 12 newly established ones, while others rely on overstretched host families for shelter.

Grégoire Goodstein said “This alarming surge in displacements underscores the relentless cycle of violence devastating Haiti’s capital.”

He stressed “We have never observed such a large number of people moving in this short time. Families are being uprooted time and time again, forced to leave everything behind as they flee for safety. Many of those displaced were already living in precarious conditions after previous displacements,”.

The crisis has reached unprecedented levels, with over one million people now forcibly displaced three times the number recorded just a year ago.

The suffering reaches new extremes, Haiti’s crisis continues to struggle for the world’s attention, and humanitarian efforts remain severely underfunded.

Humanitarian agencies warn that the situation is reaching a breaking point, IOM stated.

Mr. Goodstein emphasized “People fleeing violence need immediate protection, food, water and shelter. The situation is worsening by the day, and without additional support, we risk seeing an even greater humanitarian catastrophe unfold”.

IOM continues its work in providing lifesaving assistance to displaced communities in Haiti.

Over 16,000 people were reached with clean water and hygiene support, while 3,700 people benefited from emergency shelter, hygiene kits, medical care and psychosocial support, IOM said.

The growing number of displaced persons has stretched available resources to the limit despite these efforts, the agency reported.

It reiterated that beyond immediate aid, security in Haiti remains a pressing concern.

IOM said that without greater international support, including enhanced resources for the Haitian National Police, restoring stability and protecting vulnerable communities will remain a challenge.

It added that from emergency relief to long-term recovery, the agency is committed to providing relief and support for displaced Haitians, to ensure they receive the aid they need to survive and rebuild.

It concluded that without urgent international intervention, Haiti risks descending into deep crisis.