OVER 877 CONFIRMED DEAD AS HURRICANE MATHEW DEVASTATES HAITI

About 90 percent of some affected areas in Haiti were said to have been ravaged even as the US National Hurrican Centre has downgraded it to Category 1 Hurricane with a maximum sustained speed of 120 Kilometres/h.

Hurricane Matthew has so far made landfall in South Carolina in the US, leaving many homes in Florida completely ruined.
Meanwhile, Soldiers with the South Carolina National Guard have responded to an emergency services request to assist with transportation after a 911 call as flood waters rise throughout the state’s low country, restricting access to citizens who remain behind.

“Based on the floods from last year, emergency operations centers pre-positioned assets based on critical areas to increase responsiveness to calls for assistance,” Army Maj. Trae Redmond said.

The soldiers were able to transport the medical personnel to care for, stabilize and evacuate the patient. He said additional missions are being conducted along the South Carolina coast, including the Myrtle Beach area, where 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, responded to a similar request.

The South Carolina National Guard has assets staged throughout the low country and along the coast to respond to emergencies during and after Hurricane Matthew, including vehicles that can transport medical personnel and other first responders through high-water areas and engineer assets to help clear debris in the aftermath.

“I am so proud of the soldiers — what a privilege it is to be able to support the people of South Carolina,” said Army Col. Jeffrey Jones, 218th MEB commander. “What we have to continue to do is remain focused on responding visibly, quickly and meaningfully and that’s what we are doing.”

So far about 2,300 South Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen have been activated since Oct. 4 to support the response to Hurricane Matthew after Gov. Nikki Haley declared a state of emergency.