At least 339 people have been killed in Haiti as the death toll continues to rise after Hurricane Matthew cut a path through parts of the country, according to reports Thursday.
The interior ministry warned that the number could still increase as waters recede and rescue workers reach the most devastated areas in the southwest.
“The figures could increase because there are about seven departments severely damaged," civil defense chief Alta Jean Baptiste told Anadolu Agency.
Officials counted 50 dead in the 16,727-resident community of Roche-a-Bateau. In Grand'Anse, authorities said 38 victims were killed.
Civil defense rescuers and others organization are still evaluating the area struck by heavy rains and wind that destroyed homes and caused flooding. One southern province has been cut off from the rest of the country after its main bridge was destroyed by flood waters.
“We will give more information as soon as we get it", Baptiste told Anadolu Agency.
The eye of the Category 4 storm made landfall in Haiti on Monday night with maximum winds of 220 kilometers per hour (140 miles per hour), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.