Port-au-Prince - Hurricane Ike, which is bowling across the Caribbean with wind speeds of 215 kilometres an hour, was blamed for the deaths of 39 people as it carried devastation across the region and headed for eastern Cuba, the news agency Haiti Press reported on Sunday.

Heavy rains on Saturday into early Sunday were blamed for the death of 39 people who drowned in the town of Cabaret, 35 kilometres north of the capital of Port-au-Prince.

Ike brought the Brettell River to overflowing, flooding the entire city. Many corpses were found in homes, where people sought refuge from rising waters.

The new deaths brought to 250 the number of Haitians who have died over the past two weeks from hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike.

Many areas, including the northern town of Gonaives, have been virtually cut off from relief supplies after the previous storms destroyed bridges. (dpa)