Hurricane Matthew Struck Haiti, And There's A Lot You Need To Know About

Before Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Florida, evacuation warnings were all over the media, ensuring that its citizens are kept safe during one of the worst typhoons that they have seen in years.

Unfortunately, not everyone had the same fate: as many as 1,000 people may have died in Haiti, the third-largest country in the Caribbean, and over one million people are in need of food, clean water, clothing, and shelter.

The worst part is that trucks that are supposed to be filled with aid are passing through the hurricane-ravaged towns, but didn't stop to offer help. Desperate people who have lost their homes are already knee-deep in anger, and convoys are failing to take notice.

Reuters reported that tensions have been high, with some survivors pelting aid trucks with rocks as they have been ignored on the streets due to lack of coordination in the distribution of food and water. Dmitri Pierre, a survivor, spoke: "They humiliated us, they take us for beasts, we don't know where we are going or what there will be in the future, everything is destroyed."

This coming from an impoverished nation that, until now, was still struggling to get back on its feet after a devastating 2010 earthquake killed 200,000 people and reduced many parts of the country to rubble. Elizabeth McCostlin, the managing director of the US Fund for UNICEF Midwest Region told the Chicago Tribune that for now, the highest priority is to prevent water-borne diseases, as this could be a huge risk for children and others living in the ravaged areas.

The United Nations itself has called for nearly $120 million in aid for Haiti, with UNICEF collecting money for supplies. For those who want to help, tax-deductable donations can be made at www.unicefusa.org/Matthew. You can also text RELIEF to 864233 (UNICEF) to donate $10.