UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will call attention to a dire need for emergency aid in hurricane-hit Haiti, with a high-profile visit Saturday to the worst-ravaged parts of the Caribbean nation. Ban is due to conduct an aerial survey of the damage along with Prime Minister Jean-Charles Enex, then visit Les Cayes on Haiti's southern coast, one of the cities hardest-hit by Matthew.
The UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said in a statement that Ban "will meet with national and local authorities, representatives of affected communities and humanitarian emergency teams." After his fly-over, he will hold a joint press conference with interim president Jocelerme Privert, the statement said. At least 546 people were killed when Matthew crashed ashore on October 4 as a monster Category 4 storm, packing winds of 145 miles (230 kilometers) per hour. More than 175,000 people have been left homeless.
Ban said Monday that a "massive response" was needed to cope with the destruction, with 1.4 million people in need of urgent assistance after towns and villages were almost wiped off the map. The United Nations has launched a flash appeal for $120 million to help Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, cope with its worst humanitarian crisis since the 2010 earthquake.
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