Three storms in less than 21 days have killed more than 200 people in Haiti with President Rene Preval of Haiti saying that his country is facing a “catastrophe situation”. Amid fears of impending Hurricane Ike, thousands of people in Haiti have been left homeless, starving without drinking water or clothes. Hurricane Ike is expected in the next few days and United Nations officials are still not able to reach flooded areas of Haiti left in a disaster state from Hanna, flooded roads are stopping truck access with much needed supplies, nor can helicopters land.The port town of Gonaives was worst hit by Hanna forcing thousands of people to seek shelter on rooftops and trees as the dangerous flood waters rose quickly. The port town itself lies in a flat river plain between the ocean and deforested mountains that run with mud even in light rain showers. Hanna remained in Haiti for 4 days literally dumping massive amounts of rainfall and leaving people overwhelmed with their loss. People and children have not eaten for 3 or 4 days, people are now searching for food and safe drinking water.
Myrta Kaulard who is from the UN Food Agency has said that “All roads able to access Gonaives are cut either by bridges that have collapsed, by trees that have fallen down, or by waters that have washed away parts of the streets".
Little Aid Reaching Haiti
The Argentinean U.N. Troops have reached some of the townsfolk in Gonaives. Captain Sergio Hoj reckons that Gonaives is destroyed. They have been feeding the children of local orphanages with their own supplies of food and water but have now run out.
Spain has announced that they will be sending a planeload of aid in from Panama however Mr Boutroue who is the UN co-ordinator for humanitarian aid in Haiti had this to say “We’re already facing a lot of difficulty trying to respond, in Gonaives alone we have some 70,000 people in shelters and around 250,000 around Gonaives City need our assistance and that of the government and throughout the country I would say around up to 600,000 people might require our assistance”.
The British Red Cross has announced today that it is launching an appeal as they concurred the needs of Haiti were “massive”. The UN World Food Program said yesterday (Thursday) that they would be sending a food laden boat to Gonaives from the capital of Haiti, Port au Prince, and would be setting up a base in the ravaged city there.
United States Now Prepares
Hanna’s current location if about 90km north of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas which is around 790km south of North Carolina, fears are that Hanna will turn into a Hurricane by the time it hits land along the US coast on Saturday are running high. A Hurricane Watch is in place for North and South Carolina as residents prepare themselves.
