PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) – Haitian authorities Wednesday confirmed that at least 12 people have died as flood waters struck the northwest Department earlier this week.

According to a preliminary report from the Departmental Directorate of Civil Protection, the April 11-13 rains were particularly devastating for the municipalities of Port-de-Paix, Saint-Louis du Nord, and Anse-à-Foleur.

It said the torrential rains caused rivers to overflow their banks in several areas, including the Rivière des Trois Rivières, plunging these areas into a critical emergency situation, warning that the situation threatens to worsen if the rainfall continues.

The Civil Protection Directorate said 12 people died in landslides or were swept away by floodwaters in the  rural sections of Saint-Louis du Nord and that several serious injuries have also been reported.

Several people are missing, including fishermen and residents of riverside areas in Anse-à-Foleur.

The Department said more than 2,500 families are directly affected with many residents having to abandon their homes and take refuge with relatives or in temporary shelters.

Local authorities have appealed to the central government: food rations, drinking water, hygiene kits, and sanitation equipment are essential to prevent a health crisis.

According to the authorities, the preliminary findings so far reveal  that an estimated 1,200 homes have been flooded. Schools and health centers in the three communes have been  flooded with mud, making them inaccessible and jeopardising basic services.

Hundreds of livestock have been swept away by the floods, representing a catastrophic financial loss for small farmers.