Heavy rains lash Haiti quake survivors

LES CAYES, Haiti, Aug 17 (Reuters) – Flooding due to a storm overnight complicated efforts on Tuesday to seek survivors from a weekend earthquake in Haiti that killed more than 1,400 people and provide aid and relief to hundreds of thousands left struggling for food, water or shelter.

The quake brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the poorest country in the Americas, which is still recovering from a temblor 11 years ago that killed over 200,000 people.

“Countless Haitian families who have lost everything due to the earthquake are now living literally with their feet in the water due to the flooding,” said Bruno Maes, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) representative in Haiti.

“Right now, about half a million Haitian children have limited or no access to shelter, safe water, healthcare and nutrition.”

By Tuesday morning, only a light rain was falling over Les Cayes, the southern coastal city that bore the brunt of Saturday’s 7.2 magnitude quake, after Tropical Storm Grace had unleashed torrential rains and floods in at least one region.

Read more at: Reuters

Source: CARICOM TODAY