At a Category 4, Hurricane Matthew tore through Haiti and Cuba, leaving it in ruins. The storm struck Les Anglais, Haiti’s southwestern tip, with winds going as fast as 145 miles per hour (mph) on Tuesday. Cuba was later struck, enduring 140 mph winds. The damage has not yet been fully investigated. A great amount of devastation, however, can be seen in images shared online.
In photos of the wreckage in Cuba and Haiti, floods as high as 40 inches can be seen.
The roofs of many homes along the streets were ripped off while other buildings were destroyed entirely. Many Cubans and Haitians were left homeless.
At least 1113 people have been killed due to Hurricane Matthew. Those numbers are still rising. Officials say a 26 year-old man drowned while saving a child during the storm. A woman died after being struck with a falling electrical pole.
Cuban men and women are seen walking among the rubble of the town that used be their homes, passing convenience stores and schools, wondering where to start the road to recovery.
Homeless citizens and those who were displaced as a result of Hurricane Matthew have been placed into refuges. These refuges provide shelter, food, water, and condolences to those who have lost their most precious possessions.
In Haiti, the estimated amount of internally displaced refugees was 100,000— this week’s hurricane may be the country’s second humanitarian disaster in just six years. The presidential election in Haiti, scheduled to take place on October 9, has been postponed until further notice, leaving the country at risk of an even greater economic setback.
Since the hurricane struck, the United States has provided $400,000 in initial relief assistance and mobilized relief groups to the Caribbean island countries affected by Hurricane Matthew.
Organizations such as the International Red Cross have been helping those in need and will accept offers from those who are also willing to join the cause.
