New Bedford man in Haiti during Hurricane Matthew
By Kirsten Glavin
@kirstenglavin
Hurricane Matthew is the strongest storm to hit Haiti in more than 50 years. Ralf Rho, a New Bedford native, has been helping a presidential candidate in his campaign in Haiti since May of 2015. He was on the island country, when the deadly storm hit.
"Too many flooded zones to itemize, bridges that have collapsed,” Rho described to ABC6 News.
Haiti was vastly unprepared for the category 4 hurricane, and is now facing catastrophic conditions.
"There was no disaster relief plan, no health care relief plan, and no water management plan to control those overflowing rivers,” said Rho.
According to the Director of Communications for candidate Moise, his area of the island was okay. Other areas, however, were not nearly as lucky.
Places that were not damaged are now being used to shelter more than 10 thousand people. But many fear the quick spreading of diseases.
"The biggest concerns had for those communities are probably the spread of cholera and other diseases. With so many flooded areas which in some cases, included cemeteries, and increased chance of transmission of diseases is very likely to follow."
The hurricane comes as communities were still trying to rebuild, after the earthquake damage left from 2010. It left many homeless, and people, up until the storm, were still living in tents.
Rho told ABC6 News the focus must be cleanup, as the death toll in Haiti continues to rise.
"The main order of business for the most part was cleanup. Neighbors and strangers came together in small groups all trying to resume their daily routine."
