Port-au-Prince - The number of deaths in Haiti in the wake of four major storms in August and September has more than doubled to at least 793, reports said Saturday. A further 300 people were still missing, Haitian civil defence director, Marie Alta Jean Baptiste was quoted as saying in media reports in Port-au-Prince.
In early September, authorities had estimated 326 deaths.
Hundreds of bodies were found during clean-up operations after waters in flooded areas receded, Jean Baptiste said. The operations, being carried out with the support of the United Nations, were continuing, she said. It could not be ruled out that the death toll might rise further.
In the city of Gonaives, some 150 kilometres north of the capital, at least 466 people were killed.
In August and September, Haiti was hit by tropical storms "Fay" and "Hanna", as well as hurricanes Ike and Gustav. According to the latest official figures, 22,702 houses were destroyed and 84,625 damaged. Around 800,000 people were displaced.
The hurricane season in the Caribbean nation, the poorest in the Americas, lasts until December.
