One dead and another missing in Haiti after hurricane hit

pulse

September 11, 2017 10:01 PM

A man has died and another is missing in Haiti following flooding caused by Hurricane Irma, authorities said Monday.

An elderly man who tried to cross a river in the town of Mirebalais, central Haiti, Saturday was swept away by floodwaters. Four other people survived the crossing, according to the Haitian interior ministry.

The body of a 35-year-old motorcyclist who was swept away in another river in the same region has not been found.

Six of Haiti's 10 departments were affected by the severe weather, and emergency services reported only 17 people were injured there.

Hurricane Irma's path moved slightly northward on Thursday, away from Haiti's coast, limiting the effects on the Caribbean's poorest island.

But flooding and strong winds still hit the country, particularly in the impoverished northeast region.

Authorities said 5,000 houses flooded, while 8,000 families were declared disaster victims after their homes were severely damaged or destroyed.

Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant traveled to the hardest-hit areas Saturday, before announcing the creation of a commission to evaluate the extent of damage Monday.

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