Over 550 Dead in Haiti After Hurricane Spawns Floods

[DoYouEverWonder]

Mon Sep 20, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - More than 550 people are dead in Haiti from flooding and mudslides triggered by Tropical Storm Jeanne and aid workers said half of the northern coastal city of Gonaives was still underwater on Monday.

The storm, which has strengthened to a hurricane, sent heavy rains and a wall of muddy water crashing through several northern towns over the weekend. Rescue workers were struggling to reach stranded residents and recover bodies.

In Gonaives, "more than 500 people have been killed," said Elie Cantave, the government delegate for the Artibonite province, which includes Gonaives.

The city is the birthplace of Haiti's independence from France 200 years ago and it was where an armed revolt began this year that led to the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.


http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=G2QNHSLKDKBVICRBAEKSFFA?type=worldNews&storyID=6284923

This is so sad. These poor people have been threw so much. How much more can they take?

[Lexboy1981]

1. i though 300 people! hmmmm the number increased

[Almost_there]

6. I've seen the number revised a LOT...

Earlier in the day, I saw a number of 14 or something, but, the President said that almost all of the roads were impassable, the communications were down, and they had no way of finding out from the hardest hit towns any injured or fatalities, and even where to send help!

It really is tragic, they have been through so much. Unlike some other islands, like tha Caymans or Bermuda, who are wealthy and have building codes and can rebuild any damage in a short period, these people live in hovels, and the damage is severe, since so much is held together with spit and a prayer. I wish them well. I hope we can send supplies and help, check out http://www.ifrc.org to donate.

~Almost

[MaineDem]

2. Very sad indeed

This is such a poor country. I was there many years ago. It's one of the most beautiful I have ever seen as far as scenery goes but the raw sewage in the streets was a bit disconcerting.

I can't imagine how this country can continue to cope after all it's been through.

[cliss]

3. I agree. It's so sad.

I have this feeling that these people will be on the bottom of the Urgency list, too. The Cayman islands will be first in line for help.

[ima_sinnic]

4. my heart breaks for the Haitians

they have been brutalized, exploited and reviled through no fault of their own for about 400 years now. Their lives were stolen from them by the slave-masters and their land by plantation owners--the Haitians have been exploited as a producer of labor for the U.S. and others, there is no real way to make a living except by emigrating, legally or illegally, & migrant farm work, esp. in Florida, revolves around them--and once they are here they are despised. :cry:

[NashVegas]

5. First, Civil War, Now This

sad :(

[karlrschneider]

8. Yikes...that's hard to believe, it's highest point is shown as 450 feet hi

here's a topomap of it:
http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/haiti10.html

edit: oops, meant to reply to post #7 minstrelboy...

[Minstrel Boy]

7. Have you seen this: an ISLAND of 26,000 people is missing!

Meanwhile, authorities were without news from the country's second largest island, La Tortue.

Staff from the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) could not find the island of 26,000 people while flying over the region by helicopter.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,10831050%255E1702,00.html

[Minstrel Boy]

9. Here's an update: island "barely visible under the water"

The island of La Tortue off Haiti's north coast was barely visible under the water, according to officials who flew over it in a helicopter.

Homes were washed away, cars were caught in the rising water and telephone service was cut off, making it difficult to communicate with emergency officials in the region.

"It's incredible what happened. We are going to help with the assistance. There are a lot of people suffering, they'll need our help." said Brazilian General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira, commander of the international force.

http://www.etaiwannews.com/World/2004/09/21/1095733198.htm

[TeeYiYi]

10. OMG. Oh jeez . . .

. . . that is just unfuckingbelievably sad. Those poor people. And how fucking bizarre. What is going on? Some days this world throws out more than my mind can reasonably process. Unreal. Just unreal. :(

TYY :cry: