MatthewHaiti, #FromVilledesCayesToPortauPrince, #MatthewBilan, #MatthewToll: 145 mph. Wind, Pelting Rain, Overflowing Rivers, and large-scale Flooding are the brief and sad memories of fast-moving Hurricane Matthew in Haiti's southern Provinces. Land fall lasted less than 1 hour 45 minutes at Les Anglais, but its toll is long-lasting.
From Port-au-Prince, Léogâne, Grand-Goâve, Petit-Goâve, to Port-Salut, Dumont, Côteaux, Carpentier, Roche-à-Bateaux, Port-à-Piment, Tiburon, Dame Marie, Anse-à-Veau, Hurricane Matthew left behind a trail of tears, losses in properties and human lives.
Flash flooding initiated the destruction. It soon changed streets into rivers that carved their way in front of my maternal aunt's residence on their way to the ocean. The rising sea level has long forced itself onto the many coastal localities and even the boulevard at Anse-à-Veau. At Tiburon, the ocean entered the city. It found no residents of the city because they were earlier encouraged to look for a higher ground and refuge. The boulders knocked off the mountains by the 145m/hr. wind were transformed into weapons that rolled down to crush homes and plantations in the plains or lower flat lands. In Léogâne, my nephew reported that the mangos and bananas are gone. Such are some of the fruits people depend on for their livelihood. He also reported that people were afraid of the howling winds and strong waves slamming the beaches in Grand-Goâve . My paternal uncle's home could not resist such natural fury. It appears my old and bed-ridden uncle was spared from such a direct blow thanks to his kids' quick rescue. Such was not the case of most other neighbors who witnessed the roof of their homes being flown away. They quickly found themselves in the cold wind and pelting rain. As far as the inhabitants of Léogâne, they could not help their dying neighbors from the overflowing of the nearby rivers. Mango trees and other fruit trees became their immediate refuge. They soon became powerless in front of the wind's strength that uprooted them.
Until age 22, I experienced many hurricanes in my birth country.
On these days, the idyllic calm shown in the picture of my background page was gone. Once again, life will be back to normal but not without the pain and the hardship of rebuilding in a poor, resilient country marked by its series of natural disasters.
#Update1
#UpdateonMatthewHaiti, #MatthewHaiti, #MatthewGrandGoâve
A lot of residents of GG (my hometown), especially Thozin and Jeanty communities, found refuge at my sister's residence. Once they found out their homes and belongings were destroyed, they have decided to stay with her. Her husband and she are now responsible for providing them with shelter, necessary food and supplies. They came to her because she was a former mayor of the town.
Needless to say that resources are very limited and her family's emergency supplies are dwindling rather quickly!
This is a case of emergency.
#Update2
The United Nations is calling Matthew “the largest humanitarian event” in Haiti since the earthquake and said “much of the population” has already been displaced, according to Mourad Wahba, the deputy special representative for Haiti.
He said that at least 10,000 people were in shelters and the country was running short of clean water.
Haiti's Civil protection agency said more than 10,000 lost their homes and properties in the hurricane and they will need every type of assistance.
Here is another great organization to donate to for the Haiti's cause:
http://ChristianFriendshipMinistries.org
No comments:
Post a Comment