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| Hurricane Matthew: Struggle to reach worst-hit parts of Haiti | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Rescue workers in Haiti are struggling to reach parts of the country cut off by Hurricane Matthew, the most powerful Caribbean storm in nearly a decade. | |
| The hurricane has caused extensive damage in Haiti, killing at least 23 people. Another four also died in the neighbouring Dominican Republic. | |
| A presidential election due this weekend in Haiti has been postponed. | |
| The storm is now pounding the Bahamas. It is expected to intensify as it moves towards the US state of Florida. | |
| Florida Governor Rick Scott said his state could be facing its biggest evacuation ever. | |
| Matthew battered a remote area of Haiti with winds of up to 230km/h (145mph) on Tuesday. | |
| The country is one of the world's poorest, with many residents living in flimsy housing in flood-prone areas | |
| Officials said they were not yet in a position to gauge the true extent of the damage - particularly in the Grand Anse area on the southern tip of the island, which was directly in the storm's path. | Officials said they were not yet in a position to gauge the true extent of the damage - particularly in the Grand Anse area on the southern tip of the island, which was directly in the storm's path. |
| A key bridge has been destroyed, roads are impassable and phone communications are down, officials said. | A key bridge has been destroyed, roads are impassable and phone communications are down, officials said. |
| At the scene: Tony Brown, BBC News, Haiti | At the scene: Tony Brown, BBC News, Haiti |
| We only began to see the real destructive force of Hurricane Matthew once we moved towards the south-west of the country. | We only began to see the real destructive force of Hurricane Matthew once we moved towards the south-west of the country. |
| Trees fallen, banana crops uprooted and flattened, houses under water and men and women trying to get the debris out of the way. | Trees fallen, banana crops uprooted and flattened, houses under water and men and women trying to get the debris out of the way. |
| It was noticeable how the people we passed were coping alone. There were no army or police around to help. | |
| Even the aid agencies are struggling to move around this damaged corner of the country. | |
| Read more | Read more |
| Mourad Wahba, the UN special representative for Haiti, said at least 10,000 people were in shelters and hospitals were overflowing. | Mourad Wahba, the UN special representative for Haiti, said at least 10,000 people were in shelters and hospitals were overflowing. |
| "What we know is that many, many houses have been damaged," Interior Minister Francois Anick Joseph said. | |
| "Some lost rooftops and they'll have to be replaced, while others were totally destroyed." | |
| Among the damaged buildings were schools and churches due to be used as polling stations in Haiti's election. A new date for the much-delayed vote has not yet been announced. | Among the damaged buildings were schools and churches due to be used as polling stations in Haiti's election. A new date for the much-delayed vote has not yet been announced. |
| Flight from Florida | Flight from Florida |
| In Cuba, dozens of homes in the eastern city of Baracoa were destroyed. | In Cuba, dozens of homes in the eastern city of Baracoa were destroyed. |
| In the US, President Barack Obama warned that the coming days would be dangerous and urged Americans to heed official advice. | In the US, President Barack Obama warned that the coming days would be dangerous and urged Americans to heed official advice. |
| South Carolina's Governor Nikki Haley said 250,000 people would be evacuated from coastal areas. | South Carolina's Governor Nikki Haley said 250,000 people would be evacuated from coastal areas. |
| Matthew is the region's most powerful hurricane since Felix in 2007. | Matthew is the region's most powerful hurricane since Felix in 2007. |
| Hurricane scales | Hurricane scales |
| Category one: sustained winds of 74-95mph (119-153 km/h); some damage and power cuts | Category one: sustained winds of 74-95mph (119-153 km/h); some damage and power cuts |
| Category two: winds of 96-110mph (154-177 km/h); extensive damage | Category two: winds of 96-110mph (154-177 km/h); extensive damage |
| Category three: winds of 111-129mph (178-208 km/h); well-built homes suffer major damage | Category three: winds of 111-129mph (178-208 km/h); well-built homes suffer major damage |
| Category four: winds of 130-156mph (209-251 km/h); severe damage to well-built homes, most trees snapped or uprooted | Category four: winds of 130-156mph (209-251 km/h); severe damage to well-built homes, most trees snapped or uprooted |
| Category five: winds of 157 mph (252 km/h) or higher; high percentage of homes destroyed, area uninhabitable for weeks or months | Category five: winds of 157 mph (252 km/h) or higher; high percentage of homes destroyed, area uninhabitable for weeks or months |
| Source: NOAA | Source: NOAA |
| Have you been affected by Hurricane Matthew? Only if it safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by Hurricane Matthew? Only if it safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. Please stay safe. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. Please stay safe. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |