News

FLOODS: Haitians hit by heavy rain

An estimated 13 people have been killed and 3000 forced to flee their homes because of flooding triggered by heavy rain in Les Cayes, Haiti's third most populous city of 70,000 people.

Caribbeannetnews.com and Associated Press (AP) said the area, untouched by January 12’s earthquake, was hard hit by heavy rain that washed more than 1.5 meters (60 inches) of water into Les Cayes, flooding the city's hospital and prison.

News reports said people were fleeing for safer areas while UN peacekeepers and Haitian police evacuated 500 inmates from the local prison and hospital staff moved patients to the safety of higher floors.

Published: 31 December 1979
Issue: 1413

site comments powered by Disqus