Haiti storms left 793 people dead

Nearly 800 people in Haiti were killed in four major storms which devastated the country in August and September, officials have said.

More than 300 people were missing, the civil protection agency said.

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and tropical storms Hanna and Fay killed 466 people in Gonaives, the hardest hit city.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is prone to flooding and mudslides after heavy rains, due to widespread deforestation.

The spokeswoman for Haiti's civil protection agency, Alta Jean-Baptiste, said 793 people were killed and 548 people injured in the four storms.

Last month, the UN's special envoy to Haiti said the country had been overwhelmed by the storms and needed more international help.

The envoy, Hedi Annabi, said the western city of Gonaives was all but destroyed and every house had been damaged or swamped by mud.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Christian Aid - Haiti
US National Hurricane Center
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