The United Nations has called for almost $120 million in aid for the country. The damage from Hurricane Matthew is believed to have killed around 1,000. Those who survived are at risk of famine and cholera.

Matthew is the second biggest disaster to hit Haiti in six years, when an earthquake killed thousands.

CCTV America’s Stephen Gibbs reports.

Travel through South Western Haiti right now and it does seem as if a recent, terrible history is repeating itself.

Buildings were so badly damaged by Hurricane Matthew the scene is reminiscent of an earthquake.

And almost everyone over the age of 6 in Haiti knows, all too well, an earthquake’s destructive power.

It was in 2010 that one of the most catastrophic tremors in history claimed an estimated 200,000 lives here. Billions of dollars were pledged to the country. Multiple aid agencies poured in.

Many lives were saved. But, in the chaos, money went missing or never arrived. And Haiti, as we all have been reminded this week, ended up as vulnerable as ever.

At Port-au-Prince airport a new aid operation is being ramped up, as the world does what it can to help the victims of this latest disaster.

Food, water, and shelter is being airlifted and trucked to the vulnerable areas.

Many of those on the ground here said the experience of the 2010 earthquake means this can be done more efficiently.

“It certainly is, so before I came out here we were reading after actual reports finding the lessons learned coming out of 2010 and the earthquake. And so I think we have learnt from that. I think every contingency is different and one of the things we really pride ourselves on in the air force is that flexibility. To be able to respond in contingency you adjust. You learn and you adjust,” said Major Sean McGarvey from U.S. Air Force.

President Privert is in office because elections here have been repeatedly postponed the latest delay because of the hurricane.

He said that emergency aid is essential and welcome, but ultimately what Haiti needs is assistance to rebuild.

“I am asking that the foreign aid allows us to regenerate our agriculture, to prevent widespread famine. It should help us build a fresh water system, not just distribute bottles of water to the population,” President Privert said.

The president does not mention the word famine lightly. He believes there is a serious risk. The hurricane has destroyed massive areas of agricultural land.

People are going to struggle to fend for themselves when all the trees are down.

Albert DeCady on Haiti recovery

For more about Haiti recovery, CCTV America’s Asieh Namdar interviewed Green Investments Group Chair and CEO, Albert DeCady.