Haiti on verge of famine and US citizens evacuated as gang violence continues

Around 1.4 million Haitians are thought to be on the verge of famine and nearly 4 million require food aid as gang violence continues to dominate the island's capital Port-au-Prince.

Officials are trying to rush food, water and medical supplies to makeshift shelters as unrest persists in the capital, leaving many trapped in their homes and only eating once a day or sometimes not at all.

Since February 29, when gangs started attacking key government institutions, few aid organisations have been able to operate, with food shops running out of food, fuel in limited supply and hospitals short of vital equipment.

This is being exacerbated as rival gangs are believed to have been severely limiting supplies of food, fuel and water across the city.

According to UNICEF, the child agency of the UN, more than 260 humanitarian-owned containers at the port are now controlled by armed groups.

Haitian's are struggling to access basic supplies as gangs dominate 80% of the capital.

Since the unrest began state building like police stations have been set alight, and the country's two main prisons were overrun, causing more than 4,000 inmates to be released.

The unrest has also led to Prime Minister Ariel Henry, to resign making way for a transitional presidential council.

Last week, the majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country, but there's still not clarity about when the new body will be formally installed.

Growing gang control and popular unrest over the last few years have left many Haitian's afraid to leave their homes; evacuations from Port-au-Prince severely hampered by the closure of its airport.

The former Prime Minister Ariel Henry has been left stranded overseas.

Meanwhile, dozens of US citizens have been evacuated on a State Department charter flight.

On Sunday, March 17, more than 30 American citizens left on a flight from Cap-Haitien on Haiti’s north coast for Miami's international airport.

A spokesperson for the US State Department said it is now “assisting with next steps” and will help US citizens hoping to leave the island as long as “commercial options remain unavailable, and the security environment permits us to do so.”

According to UN estimates, gangs now control 80% of Port-au-Prince.

Haiti’s National Police is one of the few government department that continues to operate, and continue to fight the gangs, but with limited resources.

Since the start of the spiraling violence this month, scores of people have been killed, and more than 15,000 are homeless after fleeing neighborhoods raided by gangs.

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