Hurricane Matthew's death toll in Haiti has climbed to nearly 900 people

Days after Hurricane Matthew moved away from Haiti, the number of people killed continues to rise in the hundreds as villages are reached by aid and rescue workers for the first time since the storm hit.

Authorities and aid workers still lack a clear picture of what they fear is the country's biggest disaster in years.

As of Friday morning it is believed about 842 people have died in Haiti, according to a Reuters count, but government leaders said the final tally could be in the thousands.  

The southwest peninsula lacked reliable communication systems on Friday and could not contact authorities for an official death toll.

A United Nations official said Hurricane Matthew has caused the biggest humanitarian crisis in Haiti since the devastating earthquake of 2010.

The central government's official death toll stood at 283 on Friday.

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