Storms Imperil Thousands of Lives in Haiti

A Haitian official is warning that a large number of people could die if they do not move away from areas vulnerable to mudslides or flash floods, especially with the hurricane season soon approaching. Over the weekend, floods killed 11 people in the capital.

Interior Minister Georges Moise has called for international aid and money to help move thousands of people to safer homes. He did not specify how many people or funds were necessary for the operation.

"It is a very urgent matter, a disaster may occur any time. We need to move those people to another place," Moise said to Reuters. "We want to act, but we don’t have the financial means. We need the international community to help us."

In September 2004, torrential rain killed 3,000 people in the northern coastal city of Gonaives after people there after a tropical storm turned into a hurricane. In May of last year, floods in the South Haiti killed another 2,000, according to Reuters.

On Saturday, 11 people were killed in floods following two hours of heavy rain. Officials say that the floods were aggravated by improper obstruction of drains by dirt and debris.

One civil investigator described the state of residents in the area it as "living in a hole," meaning that rainwater just fills up the area and covers the houses where the people are living. The Hurricane season starts on June 1 and runs until November.

"If the international community could help us find the funding to build shelters, even temporary shelters with tents, that would be very helpful," Moise said.

Prior to the rain and floods, northern Haiti had been experiencing severe drought. Last month, Church World Service travelled to distribute emergency relief items to 500 families in and around Gonaives. In the aftermath of last year’s floods, CWS began providing support to affected areas.

The organisation has been convening at local churches with community cooperatives, using them as channels to provide assistance to families.

Haiti is one of the world’s poorest countries. In addition, around 98 percent of the nation’s forests have been cut down to produce charcoal for cooking, according to Reuters.

Although more than US$1 billion in aid was allocated to Haiti by the United Nations last year for a peacekeeping mission in the country, only a small amount has been dispersed, according to Reuters.






Francis Helguero
Christian Today Correspondent