“Heavy rains complicate rescue efforts as storm hits just days after 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastates southern Haiti.”
Tropical Storm Grace has intensified the suffering of Haiti’s earthquake survivors, unleashing torrential rains and causing flash floods and landslides that are hindering ongoing relief efforts. On Tuesday morning, many areas in southern Haiti, still reeling from the powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck just days earlier, were left without power and had patchy communication. The storm brought heavy rain and 35mph winds to the already devastated region.
In some areas, the rainfall was so intense that streets turned into rivers within minutes of Grace making landfall on the island of Hispaniola. The rain, falling at a rate of 50mm (2 inches) per hour, compounded the challenges faced by rescue teams, who are still searching for survivors in the rubble.
As of Tuesday, the confirmed death toll from the earthquake had risen to 1,941, with more than 9,900 people injured and around 30,000 left homeless. The combined impact of the earthquake and storm has made the already dire situation even worse for the Haitian people.
