05 September 2008

A major relief effort will be needed in Haiti after two tropical storms, Gustav and Hanna, hit the Caribbean’s poorest nation in less than a week, ActionAid says.

Raphael Yves Pierre, director of ActionAid in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, said: "The whole country is under water and Hanna has devastated crops everywhere. A coordinated response for immediate relief is necessary now. But the government and international community also need to get serious about prevention so that damage on this scale does not happen again."

Hurricane Gustav struck Haiti last Tuesday (26 August), causing at least 50 deaths before moving on to Jamaica, Cuba and the US where it hit the coast close to New Orleans.

Before the water from Gustav could drain away, Haiti was unexpectedly hit by a second storm which killed at least another 25 people. Tropical storm Hanna was moving across the Atlantic towards the Bahamas and Florida when, defying forecasts, it took a sudden U-turn and advanced towards Haiti, briefly reaching hurricane strength before weakening again.

The second storm brought high winds and heavy rain to northern parts of the country on Monday night (1 September), flooding the city of Gonaïves. Les Cayes, Jacmel and other towns, villages and rural areas were also flooded.