[News from There] Haiti Threatened by Heavy Rain, Earthquakes, and Violence

'Haiti (Ha?ti)' is an island country in the Caribbean Sea, located on the western part of the island of Hispaniola. The eastern part of the island is the Dominican Republic. The official name is R?publique d'Ha?ti, and in English it is written as 'Republic of Haiti.'

French and Creole are the official languages, and the name Haiti (Ha?ti) comes from the Ta?no language of the indigenous people of Hispaniola, meaning 'land of many mountains.' As the name suggests, three-quarters of the country is mountainous.

On the 6th (local time) in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti, a citizen is seen carrying a child while passing through a street turned into a mudslide due to heavy rain. The heavy rains that fell across Haiti from the 2nd to the 4th caused major rivers and streams to overflow, resulting in 51 deaths and 140 injuries so far. Eighteen people are still missing.
[Photo by Leogane (Haiti) EPA/ Yonhap News]

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the capital is Port-au-Prince, the land area is 27,750 km², which is one-eighth the size of the Korean Peninsula, and the population is 11.07 million, of which 2.44 million (as of the end of February 2023) live in the capital, Port-au-Prince. As of 2021, the gross domestic product (GDP) was 21 billion dollars, and the GDP per capita was 1,765 dollars, making it one of the poorest countries in the world with 60% of the population living in poverty.

Since the assassination of President Jovenel Mo?se in July 2021, Prime Minister Ariel Henry has been acting as the head of state, but in reality, he has been unable to perform the functions of the executive branch, and the legislative branch has been in a vacuum since the dissolution of the parliament due to the expiration of the members' terms without holding elections.

Following major earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 7.2 on the Richter scale in January 2010 and August 2021 respectively, as well as consecutive hurricanes, heavy rains, cholera outbreaks, gang violence, and political turmoil last year and this year, the country remains in a state of anarchy and chaotic political conditions.

The New York Times (NYT) reported in March that gangs control 90% of Port-au-Prince, and with the police overwhelmed in both manpower and equipment by the gangs, residents are forced to take responsibility for their own safety amid risks of kidnapping and murder.

On the 6th (local time), according to the Haiti Civil Protection Directorate (DGPC) website and social media announcements, heavy rains that struck nationwide on the 3rd and 4th caused rivers and major streams to overflow in Port-au-Prince and other areas, resulting in 51 deaths, 18 missing persons, 140 injuries, and flooding of 31,519 houses.