Storm Isaac highlights urgent need to close Haiti camps

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The Tropical Storm Isaac, which caused eight deaths in Haiti, highlighted the urgent need to close 575 camps remaining since the 2010 earthquake, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday.

There are currently some 390,000 people still living under tarps and in tents, according to the IOM. The most vulnerable people in camps had been evacuated before the storm hit the country over the weekend.

"The camps got lucky this time, but they will not always be so lucky and the international community needs to act now to close all the camps by providing rental subsidies and housing solutions for those living there," said IOM Haiti Chief of Mission Luca Dall'Oglio.

IOM and other humanitarian agencies have already closed some 50 camps and helped more than 18,000 families to leave the camps by providing rental subsidies for 12 months, said Dall'Oglio.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center has forecasted that the storm is getting stronger and is on the verge of becoming a hurricane, said the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Tuesday.

The forecast track has the center of the storm nearing the coast of southeast Louisiana or Mississippi Tuesday afternoon and night.

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