By Charlotte Foot
The death toll in Haiti has exceeded the amount of fatalities caused by Hurricane Sandy in the United States.
The Caribbean country has suffered the largest loss of life, with 52 people killed after extreme flooding and three days of continuous downpour. Severe rain and wind have caused homes to be submerged underwater, demolition to infrastructure and destruction to 70% of crops.
Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe told an American press agency: “This is a disaster of major proportions.”
The majority of deaths were in the south of the country and the area surrounding the capital, where approximately 370,000 Haitians are still living in flimsy shelters after the devastating 2010 earthquake.
The extent of fatalities caused by Hurricane Sandy across the world is beginning to emerge. In the US, the death toll has risen from 48 to 51 and more than 120 lives have been claimed internationally.
Deaths have been recorded in Canada, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, where authorities have reported that the superstorm caused destruction to several bridges and an estimated 3,500 homes.
In the Bahamas, the domestic terminal of Grand Bahama International Airport will require reconstruction after being caught in Hurricane Sandy’s path.
Statistics obtained from the Guardian and the Washington Post