- Title: Hurricane victims in Haiti dig out of devastation
- Date: 8th October 2016
- Summary: JEREMIE, HAITI (OCTOBER 07, 2016) (REUTERS) AERIAL OF NEIGHBOURHOOD DESTROYED AERIAL OF COASTLINE AERIAL OF RUNOFF INTO SEA AERIAL OF DESTROYED NEIGHBOURHOOD AERIAL OF HURRICANE DAMAGED COASTAL NEIGHBOURHOOD AERIAL OF DAMAGED HOMES AS PLANE LANDS ROAD WITH DAMAGED VEGETATION AND FALLEN TREES PEOPLE WORKING AT A DAMAGED CHURCH WOMAN OUTSIDE A DAMAGED HOME INTERIOR OF WHAT WAS A CHURCH VARIOUS OF PEOPLE REBUILDING BUILDINGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED HURRICANE VICTIM, SAYING: "The storm was very bad. As you can see, it take away everything. Our house is destroyed. Everything's gone. So, as you can see, we're waiting for help so we can be happy, the internationals. There's nothing left." UNITED NATIONS HELICOPTERS LANDING IN A FIELD VARIOUS OF PEOPLE UNLOADING BAGS OF FOOD FROM AID SHIPMENT A BOY ON A DONKEY AND A WOMAN WALKING ALONG A DIRT ROAD PEOPLE WORKING ON THEIR HOMES IN A DEVASTATED NEIGHBOURHOOD HELICOPTER LANDING BEHIND DESTROYED HOMES MAN GOING THOUGH PICTURES AND DOCUMENTS SCATTERED ON THE GROUND PHOTOS ON THE GROUND PEOPLE WORKING ON A DAMAGED HOME
- Embargoed: 23rd October 2016 07:19
- Keywords: Haiti Hurricane Matthew hurricane storm Jeremie
- Location: JEREMIE, HAITI
- City: JEREMIE, HAITI
- Country: Haiti
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA0015357TXJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hurricane Matthew killed almost 900 people and left tens of thousands homeless in Haiti earlier this week before plowing northward on Saturday (October 8) over waters just off the U.S. southeast, where it caused flooding and widespread power outages.
The number of deaths in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, surged to at least 877 on Friday (October 7) as information trickled in from remote areas previously cut off by the storm, according to a Reuters tally of death tolls given by officials.
Matthew smashed through Haiti's western peninsula on Tuesday with 145 mile-per-hour (233 kph) winds and torrential rain.
Some 61,500 people were in shelters, officials said, after the storm pushed the sea into fragile coastal villages, some of which were only now being contacted.
While highlighting the misery of underdevelopment in Haiti, which is still recovering from a devastating 2010 earthquake, the storm looked certain to rekindle the debate about global warming and the long-term threat posed by rising sea levels to low-lying cities and towns.
Entire neighbourhoods in the commune of Jeremie on Haiti's southwest peninsula, one of the hardest hit areas, were completely leveled by the ferocious hurricane.
By Friday residents were busy digging out of the rubble and trying to repair their homes even as food and safe drinking water were scarce.
One victim told Reuters his home was completely destroyed and that he, his wife and their baby daughter had nowhere to go. He said they were desperate for international aid.
"The storm was very bad. As you can see, it take away everything. Our house is destroyed. Everything's gone. So, as you can see, we're waiting for help so we can be happy, the internationals. There's nothing left," he said.
With cellphone networks down and roads flooded, aid has been slow to reach hard-hit areas in Haiti. Food was scarce and at least seven people died of cholera, likely because of flood water mixing with sewage.
The Mesa Verde, a U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock ship, was heading for Haiti to support relief efforts. The ship has heavy-lift helicopters, bulldozers, fresh water delivery vehicles and two surgical operating rooms. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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