Hurricane Matthew death toll rises over 330 in Haiti

Hurricane Matthew - the most powerful Caribbean storm in nearly a decade - has pounded the Bahamas after slicing through Haiti and Cuba

7 October 2016, 8:15am

1 min read

Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti on Tuesday bringing 145mph winds and torrential rains that destroyed more than 3,200 homes, displaced 15,000 people

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The number of people killed by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti rose above 330 on Thursday night as rescue workers and aid agencies battled to reach remote areas of the country, assess the damage and deliver relief.

The hurricane, which hit Haiti on Tuesday, brought 145mph winds and torrential rains that destroyed more than 3,200 homes, displaced 15,000 people, ruined plantations and drowned animals.

According to the Guardian, the toll leapt on Thursday night as receding waters revealed more bodies. As the weather cleared, Haitian authorities, the UN and national and international non-governmental organisations were getting a better idea of the scale of the destruction. The airport in the capital, Port-au-Prince, reopened for humanitarian flights and communication was being restored to cut-off areas.

Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste, the head of the country’s civil protection directorate, warned the death toll was likely to rise as emergency workers reached the stricken regions.