Neighbors had to quickly pick up and carry bed-ridden survivors of Haiti’s earthquake through heavy rains as Tropical Depression Grace began passing through southwestern Haiti Monday night, two days after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Other families left homeless spent the night under the pouring rain.
“We’re suffering, the babies are getting wet,” said one woman in Les Cayes in tears, holding an umbrella, in one video. “No one is helping us, we’re only able to cry out to God.”
Haiti’s southern region felt the strongest shakes of the earthquake that left at least 1,941 people dead, more than 9,900 injured and at least 2,800 homes destroyed. Tropical Depression Grace also hit the southern region, even as slow-moving rescue and recovery efforts were underway. Seaside towns Jacmel, Les Cayes and Marigot are among the areas in the South that are experiencing flooding, according to residents.
Rainfall was still falling on the coastal city of Les Cayes Tuesday morning, complicating efforts to rescue victims of the earthquake. It is unclear how much damage Grace has caused so far in Haiti but the heavy rains that drenched different areas sent thousands of homeless people into public parks, schools and a few remaining public buildings to seek refuge.
Elsewhere in Les Cayes, William Duverseau, a retired father of five, has been sleeping in a makeshift tent with his children since the weekend. He said his wife has been admitted to the hospital. He is calling on rescue and reconstruction efforts for help.
Under light rain Tuesday morning, rescue workers pulled out 16 people alive from the rubble, according to Protection Civil.