22126: (Chamberlain) Caribbean Storms-Survivors (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By PETER PRENGAMAN

   JIMANI, Dominican Republic, May 28 (AP) -- First came darkness, then the
crushing waters that swept Juary Cuevas out of his house and into a
crocodile-infested lake clogged with corpses.
   Despite broken ribs and deep gashes on his body, the 18-year-old made it
to shore, where he was found 24 hours later by search teams and taken to a
hospital. His two brothers, father and cousins are missing and presumed
dead. His grandmother's body was recovered.
   "I held on to branches. I held on to everything I could," said Cuevas,
who was carried about six miles downstream Monday into Lake Enriquillo, a
saltwater body wildlife officials say is home to hundreds of crocodiles.
   Hobbling, Cuevas was dropped off by an ambulance Friday and met by his
teary-eyed mother who returned from Spain where she working as a maid.
   "I figured he was dead, but I'm so happy he's alive!" said his mother,
before she rushed off with her son to search for their missing loved ones.
   Rains came before daybreak Monday, sweeping away entire sections of this
border town and leaving a swath of destruction in both Haiti and the
Dominican Republic. Hundreds of bodies have been recovered on the Dominican
side, most of them Haitian migrants who immigrated to work as market
vendors, maids and sugar cane cutters.
   French troops arrived Friday to help erect tents for the homeless.
   "This is a very sad situation and we have to do all we can to help,"
said Capt. Arnaud Planiol, a spokesman for the French troops, who came from
Haiti.
   The U.S.-led multinational troops, which include U.S., French, Canadian
and Chilean forces, also are working to help the needy in Haiti.
   U.S.-led forces evacuated a 10-year-old boy and his father from the
southern Haitian town of Mapou by helicopter, according to U.S. Marine Lt.
Col. Dave Lapan, a spokesman for the multinational forces in Haiti.
   The boy, Michel Etienne, was tossed around in the water and bashed his
head when the floods came. Military paramedics said he would need
reconstructive surgery.
   Etienne lost his mother and seven of his siblings in the floods.
   The floods are among the deadliest to hit the island of Hispaniola,
which Haiti and the Dominican Republic share. Hurricane Flora in 1963 left
more than 6,000 dead in Haiti and Cuba, while a hurricane that struck the
Dominican Republic in 1930 killed about 2,000.