On June 2, 2010, torrential rains in Mare Roseau and Pays Pourri, Haiti caused flash flooding in the Pays Pourri village of Balizaj. Due to deforestation and lack of terracing, the massive amounts of run off flowed down a normally dry riverbed. Catastrophically, the flooded river changed course and flowed through the small mountain village of Balizaj. Thankfully no one was hurt or killed, but many gardens and animals were lost. 103 families are victims of the flood.
More seriously, since the river changed its course to flow right through the little village, it could happen again any time. Because of this, people are scared (rightfully so) to sleep in their houses, for fear that a flash flood could happen at night and wash them away. They go up on the sides of the mountain at night to sleep without any protection.
There are several ways that these people need help. They need food, since their gardens were destroyed. They need building materials to relocate their houses to the mountainsides. They need the river to be canalized to keep it from flowing through the village. And the mountains in the watershed area need to be terraced and have trees planted on them to hold the rain water, thus eliminating rapid runoff.
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