We haven't been able to contact Gros Morne yet since Ike came through this weekend. We hope to speak to them soon, but in the meantime we have been able to glean some information about Ike's impacts from the web.

Gonaives was partly evacuated ahead of Ike. Reported numbers of people evacuated range from 10,000 to 40,000 depending on the source. It's unclear what resources were mobilized to help this evacuation, but early reports are that few people were killed in Gonaives because of Ike. It's clear that Gonaive did suffer extensive additional material damage, including the loss of the last road bridge into town under new flooding, something certain to set recovery efforts back further. Substantial re-flooding took place, but we hear that the water has crested and is on the way down. On a postitive note, relief agencies are already present to help. We hear that Medcins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) has been able to set up a clinic in the hospital in Gonaives, and the UN World Food Program has been able to distribute much water and food there. Much of Gonaives remains a waterlogged uninhabitable wasteland.

The town of Cabaret, 35 kms north of Port-au-Prince appears to have suffered the worst loss of life in Ike. A storm surge or mudslide in the middle of the night swamped the town, carrying away or drowning nearly 50 residents.

We have not yet been able to contact our partners in the KOFAVIV women's organization, but we hope to confirm soon that they weathered the storms well along with the rest of Port-au-Prince.

We are preparing to respond to the requests from Gros Morne for financial assistance to repair houses destroyed by Hannah, which will enable folks to move from refugee conditions back to their villages. Those wishing to assist can donate here.