More than 33,000 people have fled Haiti's capital in less than two weeks amid spiraling political unrest, persistent gang violence and record hunger, according to international organizations.
"Attacks and generalized insecurity are pushing more and more people to leave the capital to find refuge in provinces, taking the risks of passing through gang-controlled routes," the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration wrote in a new report, according to the Associated Press.
Since the outbreak of mass violence began on Feb. 29, well-armed, gang-affiliated gunmen have attacked police stations and raided Haitian prisons, releasing thousands of inmates.
Running battles between gangsters, police and vigilantes in the streets of Port-au-Prince have driven more than 33,000 people from the city, primarily to Haiti's more peaceful south, the IOM reportedly found.
Meanwhile, nearly half of Haitians are struggling to feed themselves amid the chaos.
The unrest, coupled with inflation and poor harvests, are driving record levels of food insecurity in the country, Reuters reported, citing groups including the World Food Programme and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
"Rising hunger is fueling the security crisis that is shattering the country,"said Jean-Martin Bauer, the WFP's Haiti director, according to Reuters. "We need urgent action now - waiting to respond at scale is not an option."
Eight sections of Haiti are now assessed to be facing an "emergency" level of hunger, according to the IPC's scale, which is used by the U.N.
The next level is famine.
The United States has evacuated hundreds of its citizens from Haiti, and continues to warn against heading to the nation.
"We reiterate our message to U.S. citizens: Do not travel to Haiti. U.S. citizens should depart Haiti when transportation options are available, and it is safe to do so," the Department of State said Friday.
