Kamloops missionary in Haiti says hurricane damage worse than first thought

Oct 18, 2016 | 11:07 AM

LES CAYES, HAITI — A Kamloops man who works as a missionary in Haiti says, nearly two weeks after Hurricane Matthew hit the island nation, the devastation is worse than first thought.

Rod Wray says there are villages west of where he lives in Les Cayes, where not a single building was left standing, and people are sleeping under rubble to keep out of the rain.

“It’s really, really bad. There are many people in communities west of us where the whole communities were flattened. There isn’t even one standing house where they can take refuge. They are sleeping out in the rain, virtually.”

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Wray says the camp he runs with his wife now has clean water and some power through solar panels, so it can provide help for the surrounding residents.

“For us personally, we have been able to get our own good clean water system going, and our solar panels and electricity functioning again. We are providing water and electricity for the village.”

He adds it will take years to rebuild, but the Haitian people are very resilient.

“Even now, they are happy. They will throw together a lean-to out of sticks and palm branches. They will live somehow; they are very resilient. To actually rebuild properly, with decent homes that aren’t going to leak and fall over, it is going to take years.”

Wray notes the biggest need for Haitians dealing with the devastation is tarps, so they have some shelter until more permanent structures can be built.

“Right now even the homes that didn’t lose their entire roof, all the homes lost some tin. Everybody’s roof is leaking.”

“Having Port-au-Prince not really being hit hard by this storm has been a huge help. A lot of supplies have been sent out. We are not short on fuel, diesel, propane. A lot of food supplies, rice, water bags. All of that stuff has been able to flow out.”