The death toll in Haiti has risen to 108 people, as the devastating effects of Hurricane Matthew continue to be felt across the region, BBC reports. At least 50 people have died in the southern town of Roche-a-Bateau alone, according to one local official who spoke to the AFP news agency. The Category 4 storm, which is second highest hurricane classification, first made landfall in Haiti on Tuesday, flooding streets and knocking down trees in its wake.
Considered the most powerful Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, Hurricane Matthew is headed north, currently assaulting the Bahama’s as it works its way to the U.S. state of Florida.
Haiti has been hit hardest by the storm, with BBC reporting that at least one southern town has been virtually wiped out.
The provisional death toll from the storm previously stood at 23, but that number quickly shot up to over 100 after emergency services gained access to remote areas.
Aerial images of the area show hundreds of homes from the south-western town of Jeremie completely flattened.
Haiti’s Local Deputy Pierre-Louis Ostin told the AFP that, “The whole southern coast of Haiti, from the town of Les Cayes to Tiburon, is devastated.”
Face2Face Africa is following the story and will publish all updates as they become available.
