The greatest disaster occurred in southern Haiti, where as many as 2,000 people died, possibly more. The towns of Jacmel and Jérémie—both on the Tiburon Peninsula—were devastated by catastrophic freshwater flooding after days of torrential rains. The entire peninsula, already remote in its own right, was isolated for a time, ensuring only scant detail of the disaster reached the outside world. Information was initially relayed to the capital city of Port-au-Prince by a single aircraft.

In Haiti, the damage from the hurricane was catastrophic as torrential rains, reported to have exceeded 24 in (610 mm), triggered widespread flooding and landslides throughout the country. Initial reports from Haiti were slow to reach the news media as most roads were flooded or destroyed. Several days after the hurricane's passage, reports began to indicate that immense damage had taken place due to the storm. The city of Gonaïves was completely flooded after a nearby river overflowed its banks. Residents sought safety from the flood waters in the upper floors and roofs of their homes.