Eye Of Hurricane Matthew Lands In Western Haiti

A woman protects herself from the rain with plastic after hurricane Matthew, in Port-au-Prince, on October 4, 2016. Hurricane Matthew made landfall in southwestern Haiti early Tuesday, crashing ashore as a powerful Category Four storm. (HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images)

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, MIAMI, FL, Tues. Oct. 4, 2016: The eye of Category four storm Hurricane Matthew  made landfall near Les Anglais in western Haiti at 7 am EDT this morning.

At 8 a.m., the eye of Hurricane Matthew was located inland Haiti and was hurricane moving toward the north near 9 mph.  Maximum sustained winds remain near 145 mph (230 km/h) with higher gusts forecast. Matthew is lashing Haiti with heavy rain and is expected to produce total rainfall amounts in Southern Haiti and southwestern Dominican Republic of 15 to 25 inches, and 40 inches in isolated areas.

The storm surge on the South Coast of Haiti could rise between 7 to 10 feet. Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides are likely from this rainfall in southern and northwestern Haiti.  Matthew has already claimed one life in Haiti before it even landed.

On this track the eye of Matthew will be back over water in the Gulf of Gonave in the next hour or so, and then move over the Windward Passage later this morning.  A turn toward the north-northwest is expected by Wednesday, followed by a northwest turn Wednesday night.

On the forecast track, the eye of Matthew will move near eastern Cuba later today, and move near or over portions of the southeastern and central Bahamas tonight and Wednesday, and approach the northwestern Bahamas Wednesday night.

Hurricane conditions are expected to reach eastern Cuba later today, the southeastern Bahamas Tuesday evening, the central Bahamas on Wednesday, and the northwestern Bahamas Wednesday night.  Tropical storm conditions are expected to continue spreading across the remainder of Haiti today, eastern Cuba later this morning, the southeastern Bahamas later today, and the central and northwestern Bahamas Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Tropical storm conditions are expected in portions of Jamaica and along the southern coast of the Dominican Republic within the warning area today, and will spread northward into the Turks and Caicos Islands tonight.

Marjorie Lozama of the Haitian American nurses association is already leading the effort to get medication and supplies to treat wounds in Haiti.  The group is looking for pain relievers, antibiotic pills and ointment, wound care supplies, pedialite, baby formula and gently worn clothes for Haitians who are likely to be impacted by Matthew.  If you’d like to help you can call 305-912-1757.