Photo by Reuters/NOAA
Haiti (MNN) ― Tropical Storm Hanna unleashed her fury on Haiti Tuesday, following closely behind Hurricane Gustav which struck the struggling country last week. Copious amounts of rain were dumped over Southern Haiti, causing massive flooding. On the heels of Hanna, two other storms are not far behind. In all, floods and mudslides from the three storms have claimed over 100 lives.
Eva DeHart with For Haiti With Love reported, "Gonaives is totally flooded, and areas of Cap Haitien are starting to flood. Nobody is allowed out on the streets. It was food distribution day, but nobody is allowed out on the streets."
As Hanna lashed at Cap Haitien, a For Haiti staff person went to check on their headquarters and found dozens of families standing at the closed gates, begging for food. He reasoned that if they were willing to stand out in a hurricane, they must be desperate for food.
DeHart says the staff member opened the gates and broke into the food boxes, giving each family six packets, or 36 meals, to help until markets open after the storm passes. These families who received food were in addition to those already on the distribution list.
Food is already scarce in many portions of the island, and it may get worse. Tropical Storm Ike emerged as a new threat in the open sea. Josephine was growing into a tropical storm and moving westward across the Atlantic.
How long it could be before the roads are cleared and food supplies are reestablished is anyone's guess. Grains will be at a premium; vegetables are likely to be available if crops are not washed away by the storms.
DeHart says the disaster compounds the food security problems, and she urges prayer. "Prayers were answered as far as the food is concerned. So [ask God] to be with us for the strength and wisdom on husbanding it to the best benefit of the most people. [Also pray] that Hanna doesn't do too much destruction as she walks across the country."
