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| Haiti facing storm 'catastrophe' | Haiti facing storm 'catastrophe' |
| (about 5 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, Haitian officials say. The British Red Cross says some 250,000 people are stranded. | 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. |
| Tropical Storm Hanna killed 61 people and caused floods several metres deep, stranding people on rooftops. | Tropical Storm Hanna killed 61 people and caused floods several metres deep, stranding people on rooftops. |
| Mr Preval warned that Hanna could prove even more deadly than Hurricane Jeanne, which killed more than 3,000 in 2004. | 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. | Hanna swirled over Haiti for four days, dumping massive amounts of rain, blowing down fruit trees and swamping tin-roofed houses. |
| Massive need | Massive need |
| The port city of Gonaives bore the brunt of the storm, with thousands of people seeking shelter on rooftops and balconies. | 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 Image | A team from the American Red Cross flew over GonaivesEnlarge Image |
| "There is no food, no water, no clothes," Arnaud Dumas, a pastor at a Gonaives church, told the Associated Press. | "There is no food, no water, no clothes," Arnaud Dumas, a pastor at a Gonaives church, told the Associated Press. |
| "I want to know what I'm supposed to do. We haven't found anything to eat in two, three days. Nothing at all." | "I want to know what I'm supposed to do. We haven't found anything to eat in two, three days. Nothing at all." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| But floodwaters were frustrating efforts to distribute food, the UN said. | But floodwaters were frustrating efforts to distribute food, the UN said. |
| The British Red Cross announced it was launching an appeal, saying the needs of Haiti were "massive". | 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. | 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. | "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." | "There are abandoned cars everywhere, overturned boats, uprooted trees, downed power lines and flooded roads." |
| US prepares for storm | US prepares for storm |
| Earlier, Mr Preval said he would hold emergency talks with donor countries to appeal for aid. | 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). | 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 storms | In pictures: Haiti floodsEyewitness: Haiti's ordealsWarming boosts strongest storms |
| At 2100 GMT on Thursday, Hanna was about 250km (155 miles) 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 hits land along the US coast on Saturday, but the storm's uncertain path means officials are holding off ordering an evacuation. |
| However, a tropical storm watch has been issued from Virginia's border with North Carolina extending north to include Washington DC. | |
| Some residents of North and South Carolina have already moved boats and booked inland hotel rooms. | Some residents of North 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. |
| Click to return | Click to return |
| 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. |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |