Saturday, September 13, 2008

'One Million Homeless' In Haiti

By Mike Thompson

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="226" caption="Gonaives has been devastated by successive storms"]Gonaives has been devastated by successive storms[/caption]

Haiti's Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis has said that a series of storms may have left as many as one million Haitians without a home.

Ms Pierre-Louis, who has called on the international community to more assistance, said part of the city of Gonaives might have to be moved.

She said the whole country has been devastated by four storms which struck in just over three weeks.

The problem was too great for Haiti to deal with on its own, she added. "We need major support and it is time for the world to understand that," she said.

"We've suffered too much in this country."

Strong winds and torrential rains over the past month have battered Haiti's already fragile infrastructure and left more than 550 people dead.

Ms Pierre-Louis told the BBC that part of the city of Gonaives, which was almost completely destroyed by the hurricanes, may now have to be built elsewhere.

She also admitted that unless victims of the storms receive more help, rising discontent could force her from office.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="409" caption="Haitians cross a river after floods near Port-au-Prince September 7, 2008. Officials said at least 61 people had died in floods in impoverished Haiti on top of 500 killed last week by Tropical Storm Hanna. (Evens Felix/Reuters)"]Haitians cross a river after floods near Port-au-Prince September 7, 2008. Officials said at least 61 people had died in floods in impoverished Haiti on top of 500 killed last week by Tropical Storm Hanna. (Evens Felix/Reuters)[/caption]

Source: BBC - Yahoo.Com

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