SAINT-MARC, Haiti - Far-reaching Tropical Storm Hanna drenched flood-plagued Haiti on Wednesday, adding to the miseries of a country that has lost 110 lives to mudslides and flooding since mid-August.
The storm that had been drifting south and east finally swung toward the north on Wednesday and authorities issued a hurricane warning for northwest and central Bahamas.
Hanna was expected to sweep across the Bahamas and then start climbing along the U.S. coastline by the weekend, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami — with a 20 percent chance it could bring tropical storm force winds to New York City.
Haitian authorities on Wednesday reported five more deaths caused by Hanna, raising the toll to 26.
Floodwaters swamped a hospital in the Les Cayes area, forcing nurses to move patients to higher floors. At least 5,000 people in Les Cayes remained in shelters, said Jean-Renand Valiere, a coordinator for the civil protection department.
Every time this type of stuff happens. If a single drop of water falls on a street, people need to get a kayak to get inside their homes. The gov't should get strict on people cutting trees as this a contributing factor for all the flooding and mudslides.
