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Haiti facing storm 'catastrophe' Haiti facing storm 'catastrophe'
(about 3 hours later)
Haiti faces a "catastrophe" after being hit by a series of storms in recent weeks, President Rene Preval has said.Haiti faces a "catastrophe" after being hit by a series of storms in recent weeks, President Rene Preval has said.
Three storms in less than 21 days have killed 170 people and forced thousands to flee their homes in the Caribbean nation, officials say. Three storms in less than 21 days have killed 170 people, Haitian officials say. The British Red Cross says some 250,000 people are stranded.
The latest, Tropical Storm Hanna, has killed 61, caused floods several metres deep and stranded people on rooftops. Tropical Storm Hanna killed 61 people and caused floods several metres deep, stranding people on rooftops.
It could prove even more deadly than one that killed more than 3,000 people in 2004, Mr Preval warned. Mr Preval warned that Hanna could prove even more deadly than Hurricane Jeanne, which killed more than 3,000 in 2004.
Hanna swirled over Haiti for four days, dumping massive amounts of rain, blowing down fruit trees and swamping tin-roofed houses.
Massive need
The port city of Gonaives bore the brunt of the storm, with thousands of people seeking shelter on rooftops and balconies.
A team from the American Red Cross flew over GonaivesEnlarge ImageA team from the American Red Cross flew over GonaivesEnlarge Image
Mr Preval said he would hold emergency talks with donor countries to appeal for aid. "There is no food, no water, no clothes," Arnaud Dumas, a pastor at a Gonaives church, told the Associated Press.
The northern city of Gonaives bore the brunt of Hanna's maximum sustained winds of 100km/h (65mph), with people on rooftops screaming for help as floods reached depths of 2m (6.5ft). "I want to know what I'm supposed to do. We haven't found anything to eat in two, three days. Nothing at all."
"There are a lot of people who have been on top of the roofs of their homes over 24 hours now," Haitian Interior Minister Paul Antoine Bien-Aime told Reuters news agency. An AP reporter in the city said safe drinking water was in very short supply, and fetid carcasses of drowned farm animals were strewn in soupy floodwaters.
"They have no water, no food and we can't even help them." Help was arriving in the area, with UN troops picking people from rooftops and Spain announcing that a planeload of aid was being flown in from Panama.
UN peacekeepers and aid workers have been trying to reach stranded survivors. But floodwaters were frustrating efforts to distribute food, the UN said.
"The situation is as bad as it can be," the UN's Vadre Louis told the Associated Press news agency. The British Red Cross announced it was launching an appeal, saying the needs of Haiti were "massive".
Red Cross workers were also helping residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands, north of Haiti, rebuild after Hanna ripped through there on Monday.
"Our volunteers have been supporting the shelters here with food and shelter management, transporting people to hospital, and handing out tarpaulins to help keep roofs on," said the organisation's Clive Evans, on the islands.
"There are abandoned cars everywhere, overturned boats, uprooted trees, downed power lines and flooded roads."
US prepares for storm
Earlier, Mr Preval said he would hold emergency talks with donor countries to appeal for aid.
Gonaives was battered with winds of 100km/h (65mph), leaving people on rooftops screaming for help as floods reached depths of 2m (6.5ft).
In pictures: Haiti floodsEyewitness: Haiti's ordealsWarming boosts strongest stormsIn pictures: Haiti floodsEyewitness: Haiti's ordealsWarming boosts strongest storms
"The wind is ripping up trees. Houses are flooded with water. Cars can't drive on the street. You can't rescue anyone, wherever they may be." At 1500 GMT on Thursday, Hanna was about 400km (245 miles) east of Nassau and moving north-west, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
At 1200 GMT on Thursday, Hanna was about 455km (280 miles) south-east of Nassau and moving north-west, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. There are fears it could become a hurricane by the time it hits land along the US coast on Saturday, but the storm's uncertain path means officials are holding off ordering an evacuation.
There are fears it could become a hurricane by the time it hit lands along the US coast on Saturday, but the storm's uncertain path means officials are holding off ordering an evacuation. Some residents of North and South Carolina have already moved boats and booked inland hotel rooms.
However, some residents of North Carolina and South Carolina have already moved boats and booked inland hotel rooms.
Separately, storm Ike has strengthened rapidly into an extremely powerful Category Four hurricane in the open Atlantic, the NHC says.Separately, storm Ike has strengthened rapidly into an extremely powerful Category Four hurricane in the open Atlantic, the NHC says.
However, it says it is too early to determine if Ike poses any threat to land.However, it says it is too early to determine if Ike poses any threat to land.
Haiti was first drenched by Tropical Storm Fay, before Hurricane Gustav wreaked havoc last week, with torrential rainfall over heavily deforested and hilly terrain causing floods and mudslides.Haiti was first drenched by Tropical Storm Fay, before Hurricane Gustav wreaked havoc last week, with torrential rainfall over heavily deforested and hilly terrain causing floods and mudslides.
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Are you in Haiti? Have you been affected by the storms? Are you based elsewhere in the region? What preparations have you made to deal with the adverse weather? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.Are you in Haiti? Have you been affected by the storms? Are you based elsewhere in the region? What preparations have you made to deal with the adverse weather? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
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