New York  - The United Nations asked the international community on Wednesday to finance massive humanitarian efforts in Haiti, where 328 people have died and
800,000 were left homeless from a series of natural disasters.

The UN humanitarian office made an appeal for 108 million dollars to cover essential relief demands in Haiti for six months.

The island nation has been battered by consecutive tropical storms and hurricanes in the past three weeks, which flooded residential areas as well as farms, destroying this year's crops, the UN said.

Haiti was first hit by Troical Storm Fay in mid-August, followed by Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike.

Haiti is one of the world's poorest nations, with 53 per cent of people living on less than 1 dollar a day. Food prices have spiraled upwards by more than 40 per cent since the beginning of the year, stirring riots and deaths.

"I hope donors will respond generously to help the survivors of these devastating storms, which have affected such a broad swathe of a country and population already struggling with the effects of poverty and price rises," said John Holmes, head of the UN humanitarian department.

"As the longer-term economic impact is also bound to be grave, support for the recovery effort that follows will also be crucial," Holmes said. (dpa)