Haitians stranded on roofs in flooded city (Third storm hits Haiti)

[Robbien]

Source: AP

SAINT-MARC, Haiti (AP) - Haitian families scrambled onto roofs of their shanties Tuesday in a city flooded by Tropical Storm Hanna and screamed for help, as U.N. peacekeepers and rescue convoys tried in vain to reach them.

. . .

«The situation is as bad as it can be,» said Vadre Louis, a U.N. official in Gonaives. «The wind is ripping up trees. Houses are flooded with water. Cars can't drive on the street. You can't rescue anyone, wherever they may be.

. . .

Heavy rain from the storm's outer bands fell relentlessly in Haiti, a country still recovering from drenchings by Hurricane Gustav and Tropical Storm Fay in the past two weeks. In all, floods and mudslides from the three storms have killed more than 100 people as Haiti's deforested hills melted away in the torrential rains.

. . .

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Ike was cruising westward across the Atlantic with top winds of 60 mph (95 kph), projected to near the Bahamas by Sunday as a hurricane. Just behind it was Tropical Storm Josephine, with top winds of about 40 mph (65 kph), and forecasters said it could near hurricane force by Wednesday or Thursday.

Read more: http://www.pr-inside.com/haitians-stranded-on-roofs-in-flooded-r784739.htm

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Ninety eight per cent of Haiti's forests have been cut down, leaving little natural defence against flash floods and mudslides.

Haiti is a sitting duck.

[panAmerican]

1. How terribly sad. I thought Hanna was going to bypass it

[insightclopedic]

2. I hope one day Haiti comes out of its misery

Their people have suffered like no other in the Western Hemisphere.

[Quakerfriend]

3. And, those roofs are very HOT. I will never forget my good

friend from Honduras describing what it was like living thru Mitch. She saud people were stranded on roof tops clinging to their dead ducks/chickens- because this was their only food.

:cry: Prayers for the people of Haiti.

[bluesmail]

5. The image of ANYONE on their roofs, clutching food

is an image I'll likely never forget. In my mind I am sending 'vibes' that collectively will help.

[kdmorris]

4. That just made me cry

I feel so helpless. There's nothing I can do right now and there's two more coming. I would don't want a hurricane to come here, but I'll take one if it would keep another one from hitting Haiti.

My cashier at Winn Dixie tonight is Haitian. She said the situation is very bad there and her family is living in a flood zone, with more coming. Those people need help, a lot more help than the people in the path of Hurricane Gustav in the US need it. Not to say that there should be a choice. If we are supposedly the richest nation in the world, I see no reason that we can't help our own citizens and still help the world's poor.

Oh, right. Bush spent all the money and displaced the legally elected President of Haiti just when Aristide was starting to replace the deforested areas. Guess we aren't the richest nation in the world, after all.

[Robbien]

7. It is overwhelmingly sad

Hard to think that right now they are still there on their roofs while another storm is preparing to hit them in the next day or two. And another one again after that one. Any hope for aid reaching them is almost nil.

Poor poor Haiti.

[kdmorris]

8. I've been through a couple storms

But always in the safety of my safely boarded Concrete Block house. I cannot imagine how terrifying it would be to go through even a Tropical Storm on the roof of my house, clutching my husband and children and hoping we all made it.

If I was religious I would pray for them. No one should ever have to go through such a hell.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. The situation there is so beyond dire that I think we (collective we)

find it too hard to deal with.

You're absolutely right- it's an utter disgrace that the US hasn't done much, much more for these poor people. They literally have nothing. Living on mud. They need critical and long-term help - but I wonder if they'll ever get it.

[cobalt1999]

14. Why is it our responsibility?

We have enough people with nothing right here in the US.

Frankly, I would tell the world, we are not your policeman, nor are we your mommy.

We are no longer a rich country, we are more in debt than anyone. Sorry, if it sounds harsh, but Haiti is not our problem.

[JerseygirlCT]

15. Because we helped cause the problem.

Because people are in need and we have the means to help.

Because it need not be a zero-sum game. Help is needed - help could be offered both at home and in the poorest nation in our hemisphere were our priorities less f/u.

Because a little real help would go such a very long way.

[cobalt1999]

16. Haiti is an old French colony, let them help.

It is a zero sum game though. We have people that need help here & now. Once we can tend to our own, then shipping money and supplies to others is fine.

We didn't cause Haiti to deforest their land. We didn't setup the colony in the first place. France has got some spare cash, let them help.

[JerseygirlCT]

17. Wow.

I really don't know what to say to that.

[kdmorris]

18. You have an amazingly callous view of the world

You need to really study the history of Haiti before you claim we didn't cause them to deforest their land. There is a long and dark history there.

But, besides that, even if we had no responsibility whatsoever, how can you look at a person in need and not want to help them? How can you see people clinging to their roofs during a storm and say "Fuck them. They are not our problem.".

We are all human beings and we ALL have a responsibility to one another. I wish I could say that your attitude surprises me, but sadly, it's people like you that have let Haiti languish in hell this long.

[cobalt1999]

19. Maybe. Maybe not.

How can you look around the people needing help here in this country and not want to help them first? We don't have unlimited resources (at least not after Bush).

I'm saying before we give money away to others, we should help our hurting family and neighbors.

BTW, all these people condemn the USA for not helping, are we the ONLY country in the world? Why is every international problem something we HAVE to be involved in?

Frankly, I'd like to see us get out of the business of taking care of the world's problems for a while and fix things here at home, and, no, Haiti is not our fault.

[kdmorris]

20. I can understand that point of view, though I don't agree

I'm not even talking about giving them money, though most forms of help cost money in some form or another.

There are UN peacekeepers in Haiti that have been there since Aristide was escorted out. They come from many countries. I'm not saying that the US is the only one that can help them, but we don't do anything to help them, even in combination with the other countries of the world. I didn't say that Haiti was all our fault, only that we've contributed to the situation for years. We've spent lots of money to keep Haiti beholden to the World Bank, but no money to help when they need to be airlifted off their roofs.

After Katrina, aid poured in from all around the world, most of it refused by the incompetence and/or hardheartedness of our government. When we were in need, the whole world didn't turn their backs and I believe we shouldn't either. Yes, I want the people in America taken care of, but I don't think it's mutually exclusive. You are right that we don't have unlimited resources, but I just don't see that it has to be either/or.

I appreciate you posting your reply. We might still disagree, but at least I see where you are coming from now.

[AlphaCentauri]

6. I hope God has any compassion for humans

[tama]

9. Look at it this way

If Man has any compassion for God, he doesn't cut down forests.

[wvbygod]

10. God does not need forests

Men and Women (and animals) do. What God wants, God gets.

[tama]

11. God is forest n/t

[panAmerican]

12. They need air rescue. The US sent help to Georgia, they should do the same for Haiti

On Edit - please K&R