Hurricane Matthew Devastated Haiti, Cuba; 11 Deaths, Severe Damage Incurred

Hurricane Matthew hits the coast of Haiti and Cuba with devastating winds of up to 175 mph.  A total of eleven deaths have been reported including three children from the Dominican Republic who were instantly killed as their home collapsed.

Matthew also brought heavy rain of 15 to 25 inches in the south western part of Haiti which led to flooding. More than 3 feet of rain fell along the Haitian mountain side.

The Telegraph reported that it was too early to do a complete assessment of the damage. Francois Anick Joseph Haitian Interior Minister told a news agency that all that he could say was that the damage was really extensive.

Most of Haitians lived in makeshift homes while thousands are in temporary housing developments after the country was hit by a huge earthquake in 2010. Communications were also cut down in most areas of the country due to Matthew's strong winds.

Roads and bridges that connected cities and villages were also impassable due to flooding. All these contributed to delayed reports as to what is actually happening to hurricane-hit regions of the country.

The Boston Globe reported that along with the death toll is a 26-year old man who drowned while rescuing a child from a gushing river. Still, there were two deaths from Petit Goave one of this was a woman who died after being struck by an electrical pole.

Deputy Mayor Marie Claudette Regis Delerme also reported the terrible condition of Les Cayes where massive flooding was reported. There were trees strewn everywhere because of the severe winds; almost all houses were damaged. It is also expected that the death toll will rise as soon as everything is settled.

Meanwhile, residents in Florida were told to brace for Matthew. It is forecast that after the hurricane passes over Haiti, it will hit the eastern part of Cuba and will stay over the Bahamas. After a few days, it could intensify and move towards Florida as well as other southeastern cities in the US by Friday.

Evacuations are on the way in South Carolina with 1.1 million people living along its coast. Georgia has already declared a state of emergency over 13 counties. The Red Cross is calling for volunteers to help in South Carolina while relief supplies have been sent out to emergency stations located in the Southeast.

Hurricane Matthew is reported to be the strongest hurricane that has hit the region since 2007. As of 8 p.m. EDT Matthew's center is moving north and has made landfall along the tip of Cuba. Winds were at 140 mph.