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Entire community swallowed as Lake Azuéi rose uncontrollably

Entire community swallowed as Lake Azuéi rose uncontrollably

Here is a picture of some homes under water as the community was swallowed by Lake Azuéi.

Lake Azuéi, the largest lake in Haiti, lies about 18 miles east of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Lake Azuéi (Lac Azuéi) is also known as Étang Saumâtre (mild saline pond). It is the second largest lake in Hispaniola, after Lake Enriquillo. The scientists are stunned by the constant rise of these two lakes, Lake Azuéi in Haiti and Lake Enriquillo in the Dominican Republic. These lakes are swallowing up lands that are home to 400,000 people. Lake Azuéi rose so much between 2004 and 2009 that it consumed dozens of square miles. A 2008 estimate reveals that Lake Azuéi had flooded around 6,000 acres (about 15,000 hectares) of agricultural land in Haiti, and that is a big loss to a fragile economy. In the last ten years, Lake Enriquillo rose over incredible 37 feet, doubling in size, destroying the surrounding fragile ecosystem and swallowing at least 40,000 acres of farmland. Experts from all over the world have traveled to study these two lakes, but they are clueless; could not draw any conclusion on the lakes' rise. Some want to attribute it to the climate changes, or pollution, however, this proposition is counterintuitive, because as per the established scientific theories, ocean level rises with climate changes, but lakes always tend to shrink. Some of the common causes cited by the experts which could be responsible for the water level rise include deforestation, saturation of the soil or buildup of waste and sediment in the channels that are blocking the water outlets.

Some of the scientists feel that the 'Yaque Del Sur River' could be held responsible for the rise. More dams should have been built to control the flooding of agricultural canals, responsible for channeling water to the lakes. The Haitian government has no plan or rehabilitation package for the flood victims. Only a Florida-based Christian charity called 'Love a Child' provided few homes to the families who lost their houses to the Lake Azuéi whereas the Dominican government has built an entire town for the susceptible residents.

Read more about lake azuei, Environment, flood, environmental disruption, home flooded, Environment

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