Haiti flood death toll rises to 2,400
Reuters in Gonaives
Wednesday September 29, 2004
The Guardian
More than a week after devastating floods hit northern Haiti, aid workers are still struggling to feed thousands of people and the death toll continues to rise as reports come in from outlying areas.
The estimated toll from the floods triggered by tropical storm Jeanne rose to about 2,400 after a parish priest reported a "total disaster" in small towns in Poteau, a region outside Gonaives.
In Gonaives, young men grabbed food from an aid convoy and others robbed women for bags of rice.
Aid workers, backed by armed UN peacekeepers, increased the number of distribution points for emergency supplies in the port city of 200,000 people, but still faced tense crowds.
Men complained about a policy of distributing food only to women, who are traditionally responsible for feeding their households, and many women despaired of getting clean water for drinking and cooking, resorting to muddy wells.
"We don't know if the water is good, but we have to use it," said Jacqueline Orassin, 49, a mother of six children. "If we don't cook anything my children are going to die."
Torrential rain from Jeanne engulfed much of Gonaives last week. Government estimates had put the death toll at 1,650, with about 800 missing.
But Toussaint Chery, who as parish priest is Poteau's top authority, said about 1,000 people had died in 18 rural communities in the region. At least 750 of those deaths had not been previously reported, taking the nationwide toll to about 2,400.
"I personally went to several of those communities," Mr Chery said. "It's a total disaster. There are places that have been completely washed out."
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Carl Murat Cantave, a government official in Gonaives, also said the official toll would increase. "Given the number of missing, when we declare the final death toll in the coming days, it will be at least 2,337 just for the Gonaives region," he said.
At one distribution centre on Monday, several men said the policy of handouts to women was unfair.
At least four women said they had been robbed after waiting for hours for food.
Outside Gonaives, a group of men attacked a supply convoy bound for Poteau which was guarded by UN troops.
They fled with jugs of cooking oil and bags of rice when the convoy stopped and troops moved in.
2,400 dead in Hati!!!
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AussieMark
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Very sad, my prayers go out to their family.
tropicalweatherwatcher wrote:even if Jeanne didn't hit the US she was destined for retirement anyway
i agree...unfortunatly during some of the hype before jeanne did her spin and just after she pounded haiti with flooding rain...someone mentioned that she would not be retired for haiti deaths alone and mentioned something about haiti not being a part of the world/western hemisphere weather org. or something like that...if anyone knows if this is true could you respond?
i for one am flabbergasted/speechless/disgusted(at looting and robbing of women and children)
it was reported in our paper yesterday that doctors there were performing many amputations under "rudimentary conditions" because of open wounds being exposed to sewage from the flooding that were infected and feared to become gangrenous....---HORRIBLE---but what is even worse is the gunshot wounds (from those robbing others of food) and even a child's finger chopped off by a machete (for the same reason is what was reported here)
however it is also my understanding that while the trees were chooped down for coal the only part of the tree that was used was the root system and the tree itself was destroyed and not utilized...nor was there any "renourishment plan" ---i.e. PLANT A NEW TREE!!!!
i guess i am the product of a wealthier/higher educated system vs. a poverty and survival based upbringing...but someone has got to make these people realize that yes....there are 2400 dead but IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE!!!---(i.e. a HURRICANE! or let alone a CAT 4 or 5!!!!)
and something needs to change!!
sorry that's my 2 cents!! i'm not mad at the poor people who are suffering down there...just the gov't and those who have a "need" in their hearts to rob food from a mother instead of waiting in line themselves the lazy bast$$ds!!!!! and especially have contempt for those who would SHOOT a gun...unbelievable...if they would stop for a moment and stop robbing those trying to help them to the point that chaos has taken over...they themselves would be "next in line".
my thoughts and concerns and prayers even...are with those poor citizens of haiti and i really hope that a lesson is learned there
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Matthew5
Matthew5 wrote:It is true that Hati is not part of "Wmo"/UN. In so Jeanne will not get retired for the 2,400 deaths it caused. Cast in point a hurricane named Gordon. Killed over 1,500 in was not retired. Because of that there is a chance we will be seeing Jeanne again...It make me so mad...
that is truly politics at its best!!! love it or hate it....i am off my soapbox now but thankyou matthew for answering my question
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