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The northern town of Gonaives, which had 600 of the reported deaths, remained paralysed and mass graves were needed quickly for bodies rapidly putrefying in the heat.
Morgues ran out of space and the town had no electricity.
"Because of the situation of the bodies, we have decided to bury the dead in mass graves," said interior minister Herard Abraham.
Dead animals remained in the streets of Gonaives as inhabitants tried to find missing family and possessions.
Authorities feared the number of deaths would rise dramatically. Prime Minister Gerard Latortue said that in Gonaives alone, 1,000 people were missing and feared dead.
Rescue crews battled to areas in the north of the country that have been cut off by mud or high water. And officials said that several bodies had washed out to sea, some turning up on the island of La Tortue.
In addition, about 400 people were injured, many by falling roofs or homes that collapsed because of the floods.
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