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Erika Angulo / NBC News
Maquelie Octavius sells vegetables at Port au Prince's main open market.
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti -- Since Isaac stormed through this island country, streams of dirty water run through many of the tent camps earthquake refugees call home.
Floods represent the main threat, aid workers say. They not only destroy the fragile tents, but also bring with them a range of diseases, from stomach illnesses, to skin infections, to parasites, doctors here fear.
At the Marassa tent city in Port au Prince, residents feared what the storm would do to La Riviere Grise, or the gray river, named for its dirty color. After more than more than 24 hours of rain Saturday, La Rivere Grise became a fierce current that flooded part of the camp. Refugees who had been able to accumulate key survival belongings since the earth shook on Jan. 12, 2010 -- a tarp, a cooking pan, some clothes -- lost all again, in a few minutes.
Swoan Parker / Reuters
Haitians living in a tent camp built for people affected by the Jan. 2010 earthquake try to repair their tent that was destroyed after Tropical Storm Isaac swept through Port-au-Prince Aug. 26.
The situation is similar in post-earthquake camps outside Port au Prince. Some tents survived the storms, others were blown away, shredded or buried under mud.
The Red Cross is among the many non-profit groups distributing tarpaulins, hygiene kits, and aquatabs to purify the water. "The Red Cross is particularly concerned with those who remain in camps, and particularly pregnant women, children, people who have disabilities and older people, who are hugely at risk," said France Hurtubise, communications coordinator for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
But at Port au Prince's main open market, it was clear the city's resilient residents are trying to go on as normal, or normal for this city that has seen so many disasters.
Vendors peddled their wares on Sunday, from fruits and vegetables, to smoked fish, to clothes and small household appliances. Maquelie Octavius has had a vegetable stand there for years. She said Isaac was not going to keep her from working today. "I have no fear," she said, "I have to eat."
Tropical storm Isaac passed through the warm waters of the Florida Straits to slam the Keys with intense winds and heavy rain. In Haiti, at least seven were killed. NBC's Al Roker reports.
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Too bad it wasn't a Class 5..........then maybe they could start over. Anything smaller just prolongs the misery.
Haiti vrs New Orleans?..........one in the same.
There's not a lot that they can do, or that needs to be done to return to normal.
Returning to normal:
(1) Re-pitch the tent
(2) Call on the U.S. for more aid
LOL!!
Maybe God just doesn't like Haiti.From all I hear the Dominican Republic is doing fine.
Hey all you people who fell for the Haiti telethon and text money to Haiti a few years ago. Did you notice during this storm how well your money was spent? people living in tent cities. Really not real tents, but tarps and plastic. You are being ripped off by these scams. We have been sending money there since I was a kid and I'm 53. Send your money to a church or group that actually goes there instead.
Send them shovels, pick-axes, wheel barrows and birth control.
Meanwhile in the Dominican Republic, life is just fine
and dandy
How true! While not a first world country, the DR is thriving. New roads are being built, condos, hotels, and airport upgrades are what i have seen in my last 7 trips to the DR.
Haiti is the poorest country in the western world.
Haiti, they did built that.
...they're still waiting for everyone else to repair their damage from the last natural disaster......
poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Sad really sad.
...
100's of millions of $'s sent to Haiti from America and millions more from the rest of the world.
And these folks are still in tents???
Where did all of the cash go ??
Can you say - " NOT TO THE PEOPLE " ?
...
I DID, I did, I did! I saw it!!
It was on the news about a year ago!
Dozens of Haitians were standing around, of course, but ONE OF THEM actually was holding a SHOVEL and using it to move dirt. Stunning!
At least many Haitians received a much needed shower.
That's just mean.....but i did laugh a little.....
So tell me, Where's the "Ambassador to Haiti"? You know, the super hero that was going in to save the Haitian people. He hightailed it out of there when he realized there wasn't going to be enough glory in the work. Doesn't want to be associated with anything but complete, speedy success. He's back in thr U.S. campaigning for the president traveling around soaking up all that admiration.
With all of the money donated to this country after that earthquake nobody should be living in a tent city.This country is despicable in it's treatment of citizens.
I've never seen a black run society that WASN'T in shambles.SRY-just the truth