Lack of Haitian Rain, Blessing or Curse?

The next wave of deaths in Haiti could come over the coming weeks as thepopulation struggles to gain access to clean water and other basicnecessities.Clean water in the country was already a precious resource before a devastatingearthquake crushed the country's capital city of Port-au-Prince. Before theearthquake, gutters and potholes were commonly a place to get water for Haiti'smost impoverished. These are typically filled by rain, all but shut off by thecountry's dry season, which runs through April.

A boy looks through an opening in the rubble of hishome in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/GregoryBull)In addition, with the nation's government becoming non-existent and reliefefforts being stretched thin, adequate water is becoming even more difficult tofind for the hundreds of thousands who desperately need it.Over the coming days, there is just a slight chance of showers in the nation'scapital, which means there will be more days without water. Gutters andpotholes on the city's outskirts, which may have escaped deadly contaminationand could hold enough water to keep some of the population alive, willcertainly be empty. Temperatures will also range from 88 to 90 degrees, whichmeans dehydration for those that cannot find suitable water will be at an evengreater threat.

There is also a downside to any rain, however. Although it could help some ofthe population who cannot make it to relief areas find adequate water, raincould also hinder those relief efforts and possibly spread disease tothousands.