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Rain hits Haiti as Tropical Storm Emily looms offshore Tropical Storm Emily breaks up over Haiti
(about 7 hours later)
Hundreds of thousands of Haitians in makeshift camps are bracing for heavy downpours as Tropical Storm Emily approaches. A tropical storm that has been lashing Haiti and the Dominican Republic with intense rain is breaking up.
Rain has damaged several hundred homes in the Artibonite region, the civil protection agency head told AP, but so far no deaths have been reported. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Storm Emily was losing force as it moved across the mountains of Hispaniola - the Caribbean island the two nations share.
Haiti is still struggling to recover from the January 2010 earthquake. The storm brought flooding to parts of Haiti's south coast.
But camps housing hundreds of thousands of people made homeless by last year's earthquake have so far been spared.
At 1800 GMT, the centre of the storm was 90km (60 miles) south-southwest of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, where most of the tent camps are located.
It was expected to weaken further and dissipate by the end of the day, but could still cause life-threatening landslides and flash floods, the NHC said.
Red alert
The Haitian authorities had issued a red alert and urged people to leave camps, many of which stand on deforested hillsides that are vulnerable to flash floods and landslides.
Flights were cancelled and government buildings closed as the storm approached.
Forecasters said 15-30cm (6-12in) of rain could fall, with up to 50cm possible in some regions.
In the Dominican Republic, 5,000 people were evacuated from areas at risk of flooding, but the government has discontinued its tropical storm warning.
Remnants of Storm Emily were expected to move over Eastern Cuba and the Bahamas early on Friday.
Residents of southern Florida have also been warned to monitor Emily's progress.
Vulnerable
Extensive deforestation and poor infrastructure make Haiti particularly vulnerable to heavy rain.
In June, more than 20 people were killed by mudslides and flash floods.
Haiti is also still struggling to recover from the January 2010 earthquake.
President Michel Martelly took office in May but has not yet managed to form a government, complicating aid efforts.President Michel Martelly took office in May but has not yet managed to form a government, complicating aid efforts.
Tropical Storm Emily has been bringing rain and strong winds to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which share the island of Hispaniola. href="http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/media/press-briefing-notes/pbnAM/cache/offonce/lang/en?entryId=29814" title="IOM - Press Briefing Notes - Fewer Haitians Leaving Displacement Camps Than Before" >According to the International Organization for Migration, some 634,000 Haitians still live in camps, although other estimates of what is a necessarily fluctuating population put the figure at 375,000.
At 1500 GMT on Thursday, Emily was reported to be nearly stationary 145km (90 mile) south-south-east of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami reported.
While maximum winds were put at 85km/h (50mph), the main threat was from torrential downpours.
"This storm has a lot of heavy rainfall with it," meteorologist Diana Goeller told the Associated Press.
Forecasters said 15-30cm (6-12in) of rain could fall, but with up to 20in possible in some regions.
The head of Haiti's civil protection agency, Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste, said rain had damaged buildings in the Artibonite region.
She also said a cholera treatment centre had been damaged in the Central Plateau region.
Stalemate
Haitian officials had issued a red alert and urged people to leave camps, many of which are sited on deforested hillsides.
"People living in unsafe housing will be the worst affected if flooding hits," Harry Donsbach from charity World Vision told AFP.
"Landslides are of courses a threat, but even simply heavy rain has the potential to worsen the volatile sanitation conditions in camps, which, with cholera still prevalent in Haiti, is a serious concern."
According to the International Office of Migration, some 634,000 Haitians still live in camps, although other estimates of what is a necessarily fluctuating population put the figure at 375,000.
On Tuesday, Haitian lawmakers voted against Mr Martelly's new choice of prime minister, Bernard Gousse, following their rejection in June of his first pick, Daniel-Gerard Rouzier.On Tuesday, Haitian lawmakers voted against Mr Martelly's new choice of prime minister, Bernard Gousse, following their rejection in June of his first pick, Daniel-Gerard Rouzier.
President Martelly needs a prime minister in order to assemble a government that can work with international agencies involved in the task of rebuilding after the 2010 quake. President Martelly needs a prime minister in order to assemble a government that can work with international agencies involved in the task of rebuilding after the quake.
The lack of an administration is also hampering planning for potential disasters. The lack of an administration is also hampering emergency planning to cope with future disasters.