The Humanitarian Coalition member agencies are responding with life-saving aid in Haiti and Cuba after Hurricane Matthew devastated the region. They are providing food, water, shelter and basic health care.
Heavy rains and wind are pounding a number of communities in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. Many residents live in wooden or corrugated steel shacks in flood-prone areas. In addition, the steep terrain, often devoid of trees, could facilitate flash flooding, leaving Haitians living in precarious conditions at risk.
photo: Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Reuters
Heavy rains and wind left a number of communities in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, completely destroyed. Many homes, often wooden and corrugated steel shacks, in flood-prone areas were destroyed. Residents of Haiti were extremely vulnerable to this storm, many still recovering from the 2010 earthquake that destroyed many parts of the country. In Cuba, Hurricane Matthew brought rain, landslide and flooding as well, destroying homes, schools and other buildings.
Early estimates show more than 2 million people have been affected by the storm in the Caribbean, with more than 1 million needing immediate live-saving assistance. (source: United Nations and Country)
The Category 4 storm, with winds reaching up to 230 km/h and torrential rains, killed at least 300 people and displaced thousands. Homes and crops have been destroyed, and widespread flooding poses a particular risk for waterborne diseases.
photo: EPA/Bahare Khodabande
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The Humanitarian Coalition (HC) brings together leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to donate during large-scale humanitarian emergencies. The HC also partners with Global Affairs Canada to enable its member agencies to respond to lesser-known small and medium-scale disasters.