Environment

At Least 23 Dead and 6 Missing after Heavy Rains

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The streets of Port-au-Prince were transformed into rivers Monday evening. Many homes were flooded in neighborhoods of Pétion-Ville, Delmas, Tabarre, Clercine, Canapé-Vert, Croix-des-Bouquets, Carrefour, etc.

According to the last balance sheet of Civil Protection, 13 people were killed at Pétion-Ville after homes built on ravines collapsed. Seven others were found dead in Delmas, and others to Christ-Roi, in the Centre and the Nippes.

Carrefour, Tabarre, Clercine, Canapé-Vert, Martissant, Mariani - to cite, that these areas -, and people had to take refuge on the roof of their homes which were completely flooded. Material damage, said Civil Protection, were recorded in Port-au-Prince where many houses are destroyed.

For their part, in the different camps of the metropolitan area, the homeless live in dark times since the opening of the hurricane season June 1, 2011. Several camps in Delmas, including AIDA, Cineas, Camp 33 (a population of about 14,000 people), - figures provided by the permanent Secretariat for the Management of Hazards and Disasters (SPGRD)-, were flooded.

"We know more what Saint devote us to help us get out of here." We spent a sleepless night by evacuating the waters of our tents. "It is really unbearable here," said a visibly shocked woman who lives in a camp in Delmas 33.

After showers, during almost all the evening, the President of the Republic, Michel Martelly, visited several affected parts of the capital. "I was in the streets, I immediately went home to get my boots to help people in difficulty", launched the President, in a humorous tone.

Presenting his sympathies to the families of the victims, the head of State said that an emergency team has been implemented to help the population. Michel Martelly said that anarchic constructions across Port-au-Prince, including houses built in ravines are one of the main causes of the damage from these showers.

Moreover, according to the National Center of Meteorology, moderate showers are still planned on the country for today and tomorrow (Wednesday). "According to some forecasting models, the departments of the South, Nippes, of the Grand'Anse, Artibonite, Northwestern, Northern and northeastern will receive heavy showers during the next few days", said the newsletter. Threats of rain, officials still maintain the orange alert on the country because of a low-pressure area, located to the southwest of the sea of Caribbean last week.

"There was last night (Monday) 3 inches of rain at the airport, Damien 1.7 inches, 2.6 inchese to Carrefour and Duval (Croix-des-Bouquets), Pétion-Ville 4.6 inches, 2.8 inches Fund-Parisien", noted the national center of meteorology (NJC) in its last special bulletin.

The South Under Water

The rains continue to fall in the Southern Department and in several other regions of the country. According to the risk management and disaster and press correspondents, several rivers - the English, Tiburon, Port-to-pepper, Chantal and Cavaillon - are flooded and many streets of the city of les Cayes are flooded.

We saw the Sun during the day Tuesday June 7 at Port - au-Prince. But camps and many streets remain bogged down. Teams of the Ministry of public works, transport and communications (MTPTC) and the national Centre (CNE) equipment were deployed for clearing made streets impassable... Officials still call to vigilance.

Photos: Photo 1 , Photo 2 , Photo 3 , Photo 4 , Photo 5
Weather Reports: National Hurricane Center, Weather.com
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Source: Le Nouvelliste