Atlanta

Local Haitians, Dominicans worry for families in Hurricane Matthews aftermath

By Nefertiti Jaquez
By Nefertiti Jaquez

ATLANTA — When Hurricane Matthew assaulted Haiti’s southern coast, Sostere Cyrille grabbed his laptop and jumped on Facebook to see if he could communicate with his loved ones.

“Whenever there is a question mark – the unknown becomes a concern,” Cyrille said.

The local Haitian business owner says fear immediately set in because his parents little brother and much of his extended family still live on the island.

READ: Hurricane Matthew to have devastating impact on Haiti

“This water isn’t being channeled anywhere. It’s going down and destroying everything in its path,” Cyrille said.

While he has confirmed that all of his family members are safe.

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"He choked back tears when talking about the death and devastation the storm has left on his native country.

“You watch this and you cannot help but – not worry. This is someone taking a picture but you will not get the full aspect of it,” Cyrille said. “You don’t know how many people are dead right now. “

Jorge Polanco is also concerned for the safety of his family in the Dominican Republic.

His wife flew to the Dominican Republic on Monday to visit loved ones.

He tells Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez the storm has ravished parts of the country.

“She told me the city were she is OK,” Polanco said. “Nothing happened there. But other parts of the country, people are dying.”

While the news is hard for both of these men to comprehend, both are equally devastated -- that’s because their native counties share an island.

Their love for their homeland is the same.

“You’re here, but your heart is over there,” Polanco said.

Download the Severe Weather Team 2 app for your smartphone. You can track Hurricane Matthew and get the newest coordinates and wind speed on the tropics tab.

Cox Media Group

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