Hispaniola struck by heavy floods
Pastor Dale Morgan
Hispaniola struck by heavy floods*
By Will Grant
BBC Americas editor
Heavy flooding in Haiti and the Dominican Republic has left at least 11
people dead and affected many others.
Officials estimate that more than 4,000 people have been evacuated from
their homes in both countries.
The emergency services in Haiti said hundreds of houses in the capital,
Port-au-Prince, have been flooded following several days of heavy rain.
The first task for Haiti's emergency authorities was to evacuate people
from the worst-hit areas into shelters.
At least eight people died in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic
after unexpectedly heavy rain, that started on Sunday, lashed the
Caribbean island the two countries share.
Logistical support
Mudslides have destroyed dozens of houses and left more than 400
families homeless in Haiti alone.
Most of the homeless will be people who lived in very low-quality
housing which could not withstand the strong winds and rain.
The United Nations says that its aim is to provide the Haitian
authorities with logistical support which has so far included
distributing potable drinking water and first aid.
Local radio stations are warning people against crossing the swollen
rivers and are advising people to get themselves and their livestock to
higher ground.
Later, the efforts by the local authorities, the UN and the Red Cross
will turn towards the clean up and re-establishing damaged communication
links.
But, with more rain predicted for late Tuesday and early Wednesday, the
immediate worries are more pressing.