The death toll in Haiti as a result of Hurricane Matthew, the most powerful Caribbean storm in a decade, has crossed 300.

Some 50 people were reported killed in the town of Roche-a-Bateau alone, reports the BBC.

The nearby city of Jeremie saw 80% of its buildings leveled. In Sud province 30,000 homes were destroyed.

The hurricane, now a Category Three storm with sustained winds of 120mph (193km/h), is heading towards the US state of Florida.

At 2:00 local time (6:00 GMT) Matthew was still off the Florida coast, centered about 37 miles (60km) east of Vero Beach and was moving north-west at about 14mph (22km/h), the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Matthew has pounded the Bahamas after slicing through Haiti and Cuba.

Trees and power lines were reportedly down in the Bahamas but no fatalities were reported.

Most of the deaths in Haiti were in towns and fishing villages around the southern coast, with many killed by falling trees, flying debris and swollen rivers.

The storm passed directly through the Tiburon peninsula, driving the sea inland and flattening homes with winds of up to 230km/h (145mph) and torrential rain on Monday and Tuesday.

The collapse of an important bridge on Tuesday had left the south-west largely cut off.

Non-governmental organizations said phone coverage and electricity were down and people were running out of food and water.
** 283 killed as Hurricane Matthew hits Haiti

BDST: 1449 HRS, OCT 07, 2016
NJ/SR