At least one person is reported missing but the Haitian government Friday announced it was moving quickly to restore normalcy after Hurricane Irma brushed the country on its way towards the United States.
“Irma moved away from Haiti after causing floods, strong winds and floods Desvarieux, the Gascogne, commune of Mirebalais, but also in Hinche, zone Rivage and Cocoye,” the authorities said in a statement.
In one area, two people were wounded after a tree fall on a house and in Cap-Haïtien another person was wounded after the house in Sainte-Philomène collapsed.
Several shelters open
Throughout the country, several shelters were opened to accommodating at least 2,142 people.
The authorities reported that 139 children had been evacuated from an orphanage in Cité Soleil to the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBERS) and 25 people with disabilities had been placed in a temporary shelter in the city of Gonaives near the Emergency Operations Center.
The Ministry of the Environment has set up an ad-hoc crisis unit in order to facilitate the collection and monitoring of information and all military personnel of the engineering corps of the Ministry of Defense have been mobilized.
Government regrets
In a brief statement, the government said that while it regrets the damage caused to the country following the passage of the Hurricane Irma, it is determined “to do everything in its power to help the population adequately to deal with this natural disaster”.
The government said it is taking the opportunity “to announce that public administration, private enterprises, trade, and industry are functioning normally this Friday.”
Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sent relief material to Haiti following a request from the United Nations.
