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A meteorologist with the Weather Channel in the U.S. has apologized after she said hungry children eating trees was one of the causes of deforestation in Haiti.

On Monday, Jennifer Delgado was presenting an on-air report about Hurricane Matthew as the Category 4 storm approached Haiti.

During the report, a NASA image showing the terrain of both Haiti and the Dominican Republic was displayed in the background as Delgado compared the different landscapes of the two countries.

READ MORE: Death toll from Hurricane Matthew hits 11 as storm batters Haiti

“Notice what’s different in this NASA image. You see all brown here,” Delgado said as she points over Haiti. “And then green to the east, that’s because this whole area has been essentially deforested.

“They take all the trees down, they burn the trees, even the kids there they’re so hungry they actually eat the trees,” Delgado informed her viewers.

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RAW VIDEO: Heavy rains hit Haiti ahead of Hurricane Matthew

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Delgado received sharp criticism on social media following her statement and even received backlash from Haiti’s former prime minister Laurent Lamothe.

“SHAME ON YOU !! Jennifer Delgado and #Weather #Channel, Deeply disturbed by your reporting THAT HAITIAN CHILDREN are eating TREES! Where did you get this #info?” Lamothe wrote on Facebook while sharing a video of Delgado’s comments.

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On Tuesday, a Change.org petition was created demanding Delgado be fired from the Weather Channel.

“This is a petition to ask Mr David Clark, President of Weather Channel, to get rid of Jennifer Delgado from his organization for her offensive remarks about Haitian children,” the petition reads. Meteorologist Jennifer Delgado said that “They take all the trees down, they burn the trees”. She went one step further to say that ““Even the kids there, they’re so hungry they actually eat the trees.” NO, HAITIANS DO NOT EAT TREES. Get your facts right before you offend 15 million Haitians.”

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WATCH: Residents in Haiti took shelter on Tuesday as Hurricane Matthew hit the Caribbean nation, and is now headed to Cuba and Florida.

2:10 ‘Pray for us!’: Haiti residents capture video of Hurricane Matthew’s power ‘Pray for us!’: Haiti residents capture video of Hurricane Matthew’s power

The petition has over 7,500 supporters as of Wednesday morning.

Delgado apologized both on air and on social media for “any statement that I used on air that was offensive.”

READ MORE: Officials worry residents not heeding warnings as Hurricane Matthew nears Florida

“I want to begin by apologizing for a statement I made yesterday that was found inappropriate,” she told viewers. “My intention is to always inform and educate. I wanted to spotlight the incredibly difficult conditions that many people in Haiti continue to face, particularly in light of the hurricane.

“I know that deforestation in Haiti is due to the cutting down of trees to use as a source fuel … I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have offended,” Delgado said.

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