Bermudian charity worker Phillip Rego has told of a devastating flood that has plunged hundreds of long-suffering Haitians into fresh hardship.

Mr. Rego, who runs an orphanage in an area 40 miles west of Port-au-Prince, said a torrential rain on Sunday caused a nearby river to swell its banks and flood the surrounding villages.

"Not even the people here knew what was going on," said Mr. Rego by telephone this week, recalling a scene of confusion and panic.

"Where we are is only a quarter mile from this, so when we heard the screaming we came outside to see what was going on."

The rain reportedly caused a rise in the height of the river of up to 15 feet, resulting in debris gathering at a low-lying bridge "like a beaver dam". The flood wreaked havoc on villages within a mile of either side of the river.

"People in brick houses had water up to four or five feet in their homes. Houses made of sticks and palm leaves are totally gone… there are people missing and livestock which were washed downstream. People don't use the word 'death' here, they say 'missing' instead."

Mr. Rego, who has been in the country for nearly a fortnight, visited some of the villages hours after the floodwaters receded. His charity is helping to provide aid and shelter to some of those affected, many of whom were also devastated by a series of hurricanes which swept through the island in 2008.

The latest disaster has diverted the Bermudian from his everyday work running an orphanage in Montrouis, which this week included finding places in a school for nine boys to learn English.

His charity is also helping thousands of people in the capital who were forced to move into a tent city after last year's catastrophic earthquake. Mr. Rego, who usually makes two visits a month to Haiti, said there are small signs of improvements in the conditions there.

Yet, the charity still needs donations to continue its operations and Mr. Rego has renewed his appeal for the public to "listen to their hearts" and give what they can.

"Bermudians have done extremely well with their response," he added. "If it wasn't for Bermudians, I just don't know…"