Members of Montreal's Haitian community are waiting to hear from relatives now that Hurricane Matthew was passed over the island country.

On Tuesday the storm passed over the western tip of Haiti, and the eastern edge of Cuba, en route for the Bahamas and the Florida coast.

The 225 km/h winds whipped up water levels and could cause widespread flooding.

"The worst-case scenario we are afraid that if the water level goes too high, and a lot of people could drown because they are living by the seashore. That's what we are afraid of," said Marjorie Villefranche of the Maison D'Haiti.

Nearly seven years after a devastating earthquake Haiti is still rebuilding.

"Before the earthquake there were not enough homes, so imagine what's going on now. It's a terrible situation," said Villefranche.

Penny Larose's mother, sister, and brothers live in Port Au Prince.

"I'm worried, I'm worried because I don't know what's going to happen," said Larose.

Since the storm began veering toward Haiti on the weekend, Haitians around the world have been watching and waiting for storm and damage updates.

"We are on the internet like everybody, we are looking for some news," said Guerda Amazan.

"We will find the hardest-hit areas and we will help"

 

Hurricane Matthew killed at least seven people after it made landfall in Haiti, uprooting trees and ripping off rooftops.

The Category Four storm had windspeeds of more than 230 km/h, and the heavy rain it brought to a country that is lacking in forests has increased fears of mudslides.

On Tuesday Florida Governor Rick Scott urged people to get away as fast as they could.

"If Matthew directly impacts Florida, there will be massive destruction we haven't seen in years. This is a deadly storm approaching our coast, I cannot stress that enough," said Scott.

A state of emergency has been declared throughout the state and federal resources are being deployed.

There's a run on gasoline, generators, and even wooden boards to shelter windows and homes..

"We have to prepare for a direct hit. We will likely start to see impact on our state within the next 24-36 hours. Having a plan in place could mean the difference between life and death," said Scott.

State of Emergencies were also declared in parts of Georgia and South Carolina.