PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti _ Hurricane Matthew left Haiti with at least 23 dead and more than 21,000 people in shelters as the nation began the painful assessment of damage, according to Edgar Celestin, spokesman from the Office of Protection Civil said.
The number of deaths and the amount of damage are expected to rise "because it still doesn't include the Grand'Anse," he said, one of the hardest hit areas. "It's really difficult."
The department on Haiti's southern peninsula remains mostly cut off from communication, with the worst damage reported from Port Salut West to Dame Marie. Other parts of the country were also seeing major damage.
"Everybody's house is destroyed, the people can't eat and have to drink coconut water to sustain them," said Sen. Francky Exius, who is from Les Cayes.
Exius, who complained about the slow response of the government, said two bridges are damaged in Port Salut.
"The people are demoralized, they have no hope," he said.
Reports also began coming in Thursday on damages in Jeremie, in the Grand' Anse, where food was reported to be scarce with gardens destroyed.
The U.S., Venezuela and Holland have all offered aid to Haiti in the aftermath of the storm. A humanitarian flight from Venezuela flew into Haiti yesterday with supplies to help victims.
On Wednesday, Haiti postponed its scheduled rerun of the presidential elections that had been set for Sunday. No new date has been set.
