Hot Storm Tomas downgraded but still heading for Haiti

Green Business News – Oct. 31 - The National Hurricane Center said  that Tomas was downgraded to a tropical storm from a Category 1 hurricane but it may regain strength as it passes south of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where more than one million survivors of earthquake are living in rambling tent camps.

Authorities advised hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in crowded tent camps to seek new shelter as hot Storm Tomas roared across the Caribbean with Haiti in its projected path.

Heavy rain and powerful winds from Tomas would pose a significant threat to the estimated 1.3 million homeless survivors now living in tent and camps in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

In Haiti the government and international aid groups are already struggling with a major cholera epidemic that has killed at least 330 people and sickened over 4,700 people.

Alta Jean-Baptiste said that we have launched an appeal for voluntary evacuation, particularly in the camps, we have plans to evacuate the camps but we won't be able to evacuate everybody.