Disaster divided: Two countries, one island, life-and-death differences

Madison Park
By Madison Park, CNN
4 minute read
Published 7:22 AM EDT, Tue October 11, 2016
A man stands in the remnants of a house destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in the southern town of Les Cayes on Monday, October 10. Matthew wreaked havoc in Haiti, killing hundreds, destroying homes and knocking out electricity in the impoverished Caribbean nation. More than 1.4 million people are in need of urgent assistance, a UN official says.
A man stands in the remnants of a house destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in the southern town of Les Cayes on Monday, October 10. Matthew wreaked havoc in Haiti, killing hundreds, destroying homes and knocking out electricity in the impoverished Caribbean nation. More than 1.4 million people are in need of urgent assistance, a UN official says.
HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images
Two young men who lost their homes awake from a tent in the courtyard of a school where they took shelter in Port Salut on October 10.
Two young men who lost their homes awake from a tent in the courtyard of a school where they took shelter in Port Salut on October 10.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
A woman sits in debris where her house once stood in Les Cayes on October 10.
A woman sits in debris where her house once stood in Les Cayes on October 10.
HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images
A group works to clear debris from the streets in Les Anglais on October 10.
A group works to clear debris from the streets in Les Anglais on October 10.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
A man uses salvaged material to build a makeshift roof for his damaged house in Port-a-Piment on October 10.
A man uses salvaged material to build a makeshift roof for his damaged house in Port-a-Piment on October 10.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
People sick with cholera receive medical assistance at a hospital in Jeremie on October 10. The destruction from Matthew has accelerated the cholera epidemic in Haiti and undermined strides made in fighting the waterborne disease, the country's leader says.
People sick with cholera receive medical assistance at a hospital in Jeremie on October 10. The destruction from Matthew has accelerated the cholera epidemic in Haiti and undermined strides made in fighting the waterborne disease, the country's leader says.
Orlando Barría/EFE/EPA
People cross one of the many southern coastal rivers where bridges were knocked out or damaged near Port-a-Piment on October 10.
People cross one of the many southern coastal rivers where bridges were knocked out or damaged near Port-a-Piment on October 10.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
People pass damaged buildings in a seaside fishing neighborhood of Port Salut on Sunday, October 9.
People pass damaged buildings in a seaside fishing neighborhood of Port Salut on Sunday, October 9.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
People bathe and wash clothes in a river that runs through Roche-à-Bateaux on October 9. Concerns are rising in the storm's aftermath about cholera, caused by the ingestion of contaminated water or food.
People bathe and wash clothes in a river that runs through Roche-à-Bateaux on October 9. Concerns are rising in the storm's aftermath about cholera, caused by the ingestion of contaminated water or food.
Miami Herald/Tribune News Service/Getty Images
US soldiers unload bags of food from a helicopter in the hard-hit coastal city of Jeremie on October 9.
US soldiers unload bags of food from a helicopter in the hard-hit coastal city of Jeremie on October 9.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Worshippers pray at a Jeremie church destroyed by Matthew on October 9.
Worshippers pray at a Jeremie church destroyed by Matthew on October 9.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
A cholera patient receives treatment at a state hospital in Jeremie on October 9.
A cholera patient receives treatment at a state hospital in Jeremie on October 9.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Family members react during the funeral of Roberto Laguerre, 32, on Saturday, October 8, in Jeremie. Laguerre was killed when the hurricane struck.
Family members react during the funeral of Roberto Laguerre, 32, on Saturday, October 8, in Jeremie. Laguerre was killed when the hurricane struck.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Andrenne Joseph dries her clothes near the remains of her house in Jeremie on October 8.
Andrenne Joseph dries her clothes near the remains of her house in Jeremie on October 8.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Residents of Jeremie wait on the shore October 8 as a boat with water and food from the "Mission of Hope" charity arrives. Jeremie appears to be the epicenter of Haiti's growing humanitarian crisis in the wake of the storm.
Residents of Jeremie wait on the shore October 8 as a boat with water and food from the "Mission of Hope" charity arrives. Jeremie appears to be the epicenter of Haiti's growing humanitarian crisis in the wake of the storm.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Corn salvaged from destroyed crops dries in the sun Saturday after Hurricane Matthew swept through Jeremie.
Corn salvaged from destroyed crops dries in the sun Saturday after Hurricane Matthew swept through Jeremie.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
People unload food and water from a "Mission of Hope" charity boat Saturday after Hurricane Matthew swept through Jeremie.
People unload food and water from a "Mission of Hope" charity boat Saturday after Hurricane Matthew swept through Jeremie.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
An aerial view of damage to the small village of Casanette near Baumond, Haiti on Saturday. The full scale of the devastation in rural Haiti is becoming clear in the days after Hurricane Matthew leveled huge swaths of the country's south.
An aerial view of damage to the small village of Casanette near Baumond, Haiti on Saturday. The full scale of the devastation in rural Haiti is becoming clear in the days after Hurricane Matthew leveled huge swaths of the country's south.
Nicolas Garcia/AFP/Getty Images
Haitians gather along a flooded street in Haiti on Friday, October 7.
Haitians gather along a flooded street in Haiti on Friday, October 7.
Burke/Dreis/Global Empowerment Mission
Palm trees lie flattened on the ground after high winds knocked them over.
Palm trees lie flattened on the ground after high winds knocked them over.
Burke/Dreis/Global Empowerment Mission
Rubble lies in the street in the aftermath of the storm.
Rubble lies in the street in the aftermath of the storm.
Burke/Dreis/Global Empowerment Mission
Residents carry a coffin containing the remains of a pregnant woman, a victim of Hurricane Matthew, in Jeremie on Friday, October 7. People across southwest Haiti were digging through the wreckage of their homes Friday, salvaging what they could of their meager possessions.
Residents carry a coffin containing the remains of a pregnant woman, a victim of Hurricane Matthew, in Jeremie on Friday, October 7. People across southwest Haiti were digging through the wreckage of their homes Friday, salvaging what they could of their meager possessions.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
An aerial view shows destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew in Jeremie, Haiti, on Friday, October 7. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/04/americas/hurricane-matthew/index.html" target="_blank">The damage from Hurricane Matthew</a> was especially brutal in southern Haiti, where sustained winds of 130 mph punished the country.
An aerial view shows destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew in Jeremie, Haiti, on Friday, October 7. The damage from Hurricane Matthew was especially brutal in southern Haiti, where sustained winds of 130 mph punished the country.
NICOLAS GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images
Damaged homes are shown on Friday, October 7, in Haiti, where the death toll is in the hundreds.
Damaged homes are shown on Friday, October 7, in Haiti, where the death toll is in the hundreds.
NICOLAS GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images
A young man stands near the cathedral damaged by Hurricane Matthew, in Jeremie, Haiti, on October 7.
A young man stands near the cathedral damaged by Hurricane Matthew, in Jeremie, Haiti, on October 7.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
A man dries toys recovered from the debris left by Hurricane Matthew in Les Cayes, Haiti, on Thursday, October 6.
A man dries toys recovered from the debris left by Hurricane Matthew in Les Cayes, Haiti, on Thursday, October 6.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
A girl washes mud from her feet after Hurricane Matthew passed through Les Cayes, Haiti, on October 6.
A girl washes mud from her feet after Hurricane Matthew passed through Les Cayes, Haiti, on October 6.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Fallen trees litter the ground outside a damaged church in Les Cayes on October 6. Hundreds of people have been killed in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, officials said, with the death toll expected to rise.
Fallen trees litter the ground outside a damaged church in Les Cayes on October 6. Hundreds of people have been killed in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, officials said, with the death toll expected to rise.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Girls wade through a flooded street in Les Cayes on October 6.
Girls wade through a flooded street in Les Cayes on October 6.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Two days after the storm, authorities and aid workers in Haiti still lack a clear picture of what they fear is the country's biggest disaster in years.
Two days after the storm, authorities and aid workers in Haiti still lack a clear picture of what they fear is the country's biggest disaster in years.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Saint Anne Church in Les Cayes is reduced to ruins. In the wake of the storm, the Electoral Commission postponed the country's presidential election, which had been scheduled for Sunday.
Saint Anne Church in Les Cayes is reduced to ruins. In the wake of the storm, the Electoral Commission postponed the country's presidential election, which had been scheduled for Sunday.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Residents repair their homes in Les Cayes.
Residents repair their homes in Les Cayes.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Children sit inside a damaged church in Saint-Louis on Wednesday, October 5.
Children sit inside a damaged church in Saint-Louis on Wednesday, October 5.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
Men push a motorbike through a flooded street in Leogane on October 5. More than 300,000 people are in shelters across the country, the United Nations said.<br />
Men push a motorbike through a flooded street in Leogane on October 5. More than 300,000 people are in shelters across the country, the United Nations said.
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
A man carries a woman across a river at Petit Goave on October 5. A bridge collapsed because of the storm.
A man carries a woman across a river at Petit Goave on October 5. A bridge collapsed because of the storm