NAPLES, Fla. — Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica's coastline as a Category 5 hurricane, but nearby Haiti is grappling with deadly impacts from the massive storm that never made direct landfall on the island.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to someone on the ground:
Haitian officials report at least 20 people have died as torrential rains from the hurricane's outer bands flooded streets and triggered landslides across the nation. The recovery effort is just beginning, according to aid workers on the ground.
"People were scared," said Linda Thélémaque, who works for Hope for Haiti, a Naples-based nonprofit that provides emergency response services and works to improve quality of life on the island nation.
Thélémaque described the ominous atmosphere as residents waited for the storm to pass.
"There was like a feeling of like an ominous, eerie feeling in the town," she said.
While Hurricane Melissa never made landfall in Haiti, the storm's massive size dumped heavy rainfall across the island for days.
"It's been raining heavy, for the last 5 plus days," Thelemaque said.
The relentless precipitation has caused widespread flooding and significant landslides, washing away livelihoods and forcing the country into lockdown mode.
"There is a lot flooding, significant amount of landslides," she said.
Haiti spent Wednesday sheltered in place as authorities urged residents to stay indoors.
"The office of the president advised, everything is closed today," Thélémaque said.
According to Fox 4's Certified Meteorologist Katie Walls, more than 3 feet of rain has fallen in southern Haiti, with an additional 1 to 2 inches expected as Melissa moves toward the Bahamas.
Briana Beauvoir with Hope for Haiti says monetary donations are the most effective way to help right now, as they can be quickly converted into needed supplies for affected communities.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Beauvoir praised the resilience of the Haitian people.
"To see the happiness and joy that still shines through despite all the challenges and the struggles they're facing everyday, they have such a resilience and hope," Beauvoir said.
Thelemaque warned that while the storm may be ending, the crisis is far from over.
"The water born diseases, they start to spread," Thélémaque said. "We will be responding to this for a while."
If you would like to make a donation to help Haiti, you can do so on their website.
