Hurricane Melissa, formed in late October 2025, was more than a meteorological event it was a wake-up call for humanity: for every person, every nation, every generation.
It reminded us of that nature always responds when we neglect it. Every gust of wind, every drop of rain seems to whisper the same truth the time for reflection has come.
Melissa showed that storms are becoming stronger, but it also proved that our ability to prepare can be even greater if we choose to act with knowledge and conscience.
The storm brought wind, water, and destruction, but its greatest lesson was the weakness exposed by poor planning.
Many structures collapsed not because the wind was too strong, but because they were built without vision without respect for soil conditions or proper regulations.
Nature is not cruel; negligence is. A small canal left uncleaned, a bridge unchecked, a decision delayed that’s where every major tragedy begins.
Melissa revealed the limits of our systems.
Each drop of rain became a test for neglected drainage, every gust of wind, an exam for weak foundations.
While some people sought shelter, others chose to help their neighbors proof that even in crisis, hope remains alive.
What is missing is not courage, but structure, planning, and confidence in our own capacity.
A strong society is not measured by the number of buildings it constructs, but by how it protects the lives within them.
My book “Water, Road and Life” carries this same vision.
It tells our collective story and predicts the consequences of inaction if we fail to use common sense and foresight.
Melissa also made one truth undeniable: development alone is not enough to protect against nature.
There is no progress without prevention.
Technology and resources are valuable, but what matters most is the will to plan with respect for the environment.
Everyone has a role authority, professionals, citizens, and the youth.
Only together can we build a smarter, more resilient system one that doesn’t just react after disasters but prevents them before they happen.
When I look at Melissa, I don’t just see a hurricane.
I see a test for humanity a measure of our ability to learn, to cooperate, to adapt.
Every project, every plan must aim for something greater than profit: it must serve life itself.
In all my work, I continue to apply this principle to build with ethics, with vision, and with respect for both people and nature.
That is how we can prepare the next generations for a more sustainable world.
Melissa will pass, but its lessons must remain.
Every storm is a teacher.
It exposes our weaknesses, but it also reveals our strength the strength to learn, to rebuild, and to change.
There is no future without prevention, no safety without planning, and no progress without respect for nature.
We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can decide how we build, so it does not destroy our dreams, our ambitions, and our future.
Even if we are no longer here tomorrow, our descendants will have stories to tell stories about what we did, or what we failed to do.
✍ Written by:
Engineer Claudin Hermann Beaugé
Civil Engineer · Entrepreneur · Author
Author of “Water, Road and Life”
Founder, ARSECOD – Services d’Architecture et de Construction Durable
