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Hanna death-toll rises in Haiti

05/09/2008

The Haitian government has appealed for international aid after tropical storm Hanna left large parts of the country flooded and 137 people dead.

Hanna, which is forecast to regain hurricane strength, is now on a collision course with the United States.

In Haiti 80 people died in flooded Gonaives, with 22 deaths around the port city and 35 elsewhere in the country.

Haitian president Rene Preval has called on the international community to help the impoverished island nation recover from the damage.

"There are a lot of people on rooftops and there are prisoners that we cannot guard," he said.

According to the US national hurricane centre (NHC), Hanna is due to make landfall in North Carolina tonight.

A state of emergency has already been declared in the state, as well as neighbouring Virginia.

As Hanna advances on the US, Hurricane Ike, now downgraded to a category three storm, is moving west towards the Caribbean, while a third, smaller storm – Josephine – follows in its wake to the east.

The storms come after Gustav careered into Louisiana, where it killed eight people.

New Orleans residents were due to return to their homes today after a mandatory evacuation was ordered.