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Flooded Haitians 'in dire need' First aid ship arrives in Haiti
(about 6 hours later)
Several hundred thousand people need help in Haiti, which is suffering severe flooding after being hit by a series of tropical storms, the UN says. The first significant aid delivery has arrived in Haiti to help several hundred thousand people struggling in the wake of tropical storm Hanna.
UN official Joel Boutroue told the BBC that the situation was likely to worsen in the coming days as another strong hurricane, Ike, approaches the region. A ship carrying 33 tons of relief supplies from the United Nations docked in Gonaives, where conditions have been described as catastrophic.
Three storms in less than 21 days have killed more than 200 people, Haitian officials say.Three storms in less than 21 days have killed more than 200 people, Haitian officials say.
Haitian President Rene Preval has said his country faces a "catastrophe". The UN has said up to 600,000 people may be in need of help.
The latest storm to hit Haiti was Hanna, which swirled over Haiti for four days, dumping massive amounts of rain, blowing down fruit trees and swamping tin-roofed houses. UN official Joel Boutroue told the BBC that the situation was likely to worsen in the coming days as another strong hurricane, Ike, approaches the region.
Hanna, the latest storm to hit Haiti, dumped massive amounts of rain on the country over four days, blowing down fruit trees and swamping tin-roofed houses.
Massive needMassive need
The port city of Gonaives bore the brunt of the storm, forcing thousands of people to seek shelter on rooftops and balconies as flood waters rose.The port city of Gonaives bore the brunt of the storm, forcing thousands of people to seek shelter on rooftops and balconies as flood waters rose.
In pictures: Haiti reliefEyewitness: Haiti's ordealsWarming boosts strongest storms
The BBC's Joseph Guyla Delva, who accompanied a team from the UN's peacekeeping mission as they flew by helicopter over the area, says many houses have been damaged or destroyed, and that authorities estimate 80% of Gonaives' population has been affected by the storm.The BBC's Joseph Guyla Delva, who accompanied a team from the UN's peacekeeping mission as they flew by helicopter over the area, says many houses have been damaged or destroyed, and that authorities estimate 80% of Gonaives' population has been affected by the storm.
Senator Yuri Latortue, who represents the city, said about 200,000 people there had not eaten for three days.Senator Yuri Latortue, who represents the city, said about 200,000 people there had not eaten for three days.
Most of Gonaives remains under water, hindering aid convoys in their efforts to deliver food. The UN aid shipment included bottled water, water-purification tablets, high-energy biscuits, cooking oil and rice.
class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7599784.stm">In pictures: Haiti relief class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7594788.stm">Eyewitness: Haiti's ordeals class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7596643.stm">Warming boosts strongest storms UN peacekeeping soldiers aimed to distribute the biscuits and water within hours to emergency shelters where 40,000 people are marooned.
Prospery Raymond, from Christian Aid, said farmland has been flooded and the loss of crops is set to push food costs higher. Prospery Raymond, from Christian Aid, said farmland had been flooded and the loss of crops was set to push food costs higher.
"The whole of the Artibonite valley has been submerged, which is where 80% of Haitian rice is grown. Rice crops were destroyed near the point of harvesting, which can only put the price of this staple food even further out of the reach of many families.""The whole of the Artibonite valley has been submerged, which is where 80% of Haitian rice is grown. Rice crops were destroyed near the point of harvesting, which can only put the price of this staple food even further out of the reach of many families."
"There is no food, no water, no clothes," Arnaud Dumas, a pastor at a Gonaives church, told the Associated Press news agency. "We haven't found anything to eat in two, three days. Nothing at all.""There is no food, no water, no clothes," Arnaud Dumas, a pastor at a Gonaives church, told the Associated Press news agency. "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.
Johnny Auguste, a shepherd from the south-western city of Miragoane, told the BBC that things were "very bad". Click here for Ike's position and pathJohnny Auguste, a shepherd from the south-western city of Miragoane, told the BBC that things were "very bad". Click here for Ike's position and path
"In my area, I'd say about 20 people have died. There's a lot of flooding and the people have nothing to eat. The people feel really bad because there's no food, there's no work, the people don't know when this is going to stop.""In my area, I'd say about 20 people have died. There's a lot of flooding and the people have nothing to eat. The people feel really bad because there's no food, there's no work, the people don't know when this is going to stop."
Help is 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. After hitting Haiti, Hanna moved north, past the edge of the Bahamas. It is now expected to reach the Carolinas on the US east coast early on Saturday.
After hitting Haiti, Hanna moved north, past the edge of the Bahamas. It is now expected to reach the south-eastern coast of the US late on Friday.
Instability fearsInstability fears
There are fears Hanna could become a hurricane by the time it hits the US, but the storm's uncertain path means officials are holding off ordering an evacuation.
Tropical storm and hurricane warning from BBC weatherTropical storm and hurricane warning from BBC weather
There are fears Hanna could become a hurricane by the time it hits the US, but the storm's uncertain path means officials are holding off ordering an evacuation.
However, a hurricane watch is in place in North and South Carolina. Some residents have already moved boats and booked inland hotel rooms.However, a hurricane watch is in place in North and South Carolina. Some residents have already moved boats and booked inland hotel rooms.
Meanwhile Hurricane Ike has weakened slightly into a Category Three hurricane in the open Atlantic, the NHC says. Meanwhile Hurricane Ike could pass close to northern Haiti before taking aim at south Florida, Cuba or the Gulf of Mexico next week.
But it added that Ike remained "dangerous". It is almost certain to dump more rain in Haiti's Artibonite Valley, whose rivers funnel into Gonaives.
It is too early to determine if it poses any threat to land, the NHC says. "The soil is completely impregnated with water and there is no way for the rivers to take more water," Max Cocsi, in Gonaives with Doctors Without Borders, said.
Ike has weakened slightly into a Category Three hurricane in the open Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center says, but it remains "dangerous".
A team from the American Red Cross flew over GonaivesEnlarge Image
Mr Boutroue, the UN co-ordinator for humanitarian aid in Haiti, told the BBC that aid workers face "a lot of difficulty trying to respond" in the wake of Hanna.Mr Boutroue, the UN co-ordinator for humanitarian aid in Haiti, told the BBC that aid workers face "a lot of difficulty trying to respond" in the wake of Hanna.
"In Gonaives alone we have some 70,000 people in shelters, and around 250,000 around Gonaives City need our assistance and that of the government, and throughout the country I would say around up to 600,000 people might require our assistance.""In Gonaives alone we have some 70,000 people in shelters, and around 250,000 around Gonaives City need our assistance and that of the government, and throughout the country I would say around up to 600,000 people might require our assistance."
A team from the American Red Cross flew over GonaivesEnlarge Image
The storms, Mr Boutroue said, were likely to deepen further Haiti's already extreme poverty.The storms, Mr Boutroue said, were likely to deepen further Haiti's already extreme poverty.
"That potentially means more instability unless we can ensure an adequate response," he said."That potentially means more instability unless we can ensure an adequate response," he said.
The UN is stepping up its aid efforts and is launching an appeal for help, Mr Boutroue said. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has also launched an appeal, asking for $3.4m dollars in aid.
The British Red Cross has also announced it is 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."
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.
Earlier Hanna was also blamed for two deaths in Puerto Rico.Earlier Hanna was also blamed for two deaths in Puerto Rico.
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