MESSAGE: 7.0 HAITI EARTHQUAKE UPDATE #11 (As at 16:00 hrs, January 31, 2010)
1.0 SITUATION OVERVIEW:
Emergency relief and response operations continue in Haiti following the earthquake on January 12 2010. There has been a mass exodus out of the capital Port au Prince with migration of people to the north and southwest of the Island totaling around 235,000.
The Government of Haiti remains challenged in managing and coordinating the relief efforts. Requests have been made to CARICOM to support the urgent needs for supplies related to the provision of shelter and other humanitarian aid.
The President of the Republic of Haïti has declared the priorities for Haïti at this time as follows:
Priority 1 – Housing and Shelter
Priority 2 – Health Care
Priority 3 – Food and Water
1.1 PRIORITY NEEDS:
1.1.1 Housing and Shelter
Shelter remains the most immediate need as there are nearly one million people without adequate shelter. It is estimated that 200,000 tents are needed and that family tents are urgently required. Tents are also needed for storage and medical use. Due to the urgency of the need for shelter, the Government is appealing for the tents to be shipped by the quickest means, preferably aircraft.
Several Participating States have pledged tents in response to urgent call made by the Haitian government. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Coordinating Unit is also sourcing new tents from suppliers in the value of US$250,000. Other tents are also being provided through the four sub regional focal points.
1.1.2 Health Care
The priorities identified by the Government of the Republic of Haïti are the provision of:
a. Primary Health Care
b. Mobile Clinics
c. Hospital (surgeries)
1.1.3 Food and Relief Supplies
There are still many challenges in getting food and relief supplies to the people. Ready to eat meals and other staples are urgently needed. Adequate supplies of potable water are also a priority.
UNICEF estimates that approximately 300,000 children from age two and younger may require support for infant and young child feeding.
2.0 REGIONAL ACTIONS:
2.1 Donor Coordination and Support
The Executive Director of CDEMA, Mr. Jeremy Collymore visited Haiti on January 27-28, 2010. The Executive Director’s mission was instrumental in:
i. Providing guidance to the Government of Haiti in strengthening/framing the specific requests and support for improved donor coordination from the international community;
ii. Making specific recommendations for use of the information from the cluster groups, as an input into mapping contributions to date, identifying areas of operation and the targeted beneficiaries;
iii. Identifying the needs and challenges for community operations on the ground.
A key output of his mission was that the Government of Haïti fully supports CARICOM’s intervention in the health sector.
2.2 CARICOM Contingent
The CARICOM Contingent has been operating from two bases in Port-Au-Prince; Camp “Restore Comfort” at the Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport and the Food for the Poor (Haiti) facility in Rue Barbancourt. The CARICOM Special Coordinator, (BG (R) Earl Arthurs, departed Haïti on Saturday January 30, 2010. Ms. Dawn French has assumed duties as the Special Coordinator for an interim period.
As of the 28 January, 2010 the composition of the CARICOM Contingent totaled 213 from eleven countries in the region: 184 military and other disciplined forces, 25 medical personnel, 4 Technical Team.
2.2.1 Strengthening Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency
Strengthening of the Haïtian Civil Protection Agency to lead in addressing the priority needs of Haiti including shelter management and relief supplies has been the focus of the CARICOM Technical Team.
The Technical team on the ground comprising Ms. Dawn French – the National Disaster Coordinator for NEMO Saint Lucia along with Mr. Luke Bethel from the Bahamas and Mr. Ron Mobeley of the Virgin Islands, have been instrumental in producing the following in collaboration with and in support of the Government of Haiti through Haiti Civil Protection:
• Guidelines for Relief Supplies Collection Points, Warehouses & Distribution Centers
The purpose of this document is to provide clear guidance for the procedures to be taken in relations to Relief Supply Collection, Storage and Distribution by the Haïtian Disaster Committee. It aims to ensure an accountable mechanism that will document all transactions of relief supply donated or purchased by the Haïtian Government in the response and recovery phases to the earthquake in 2010. It will also facilitate the distribution of relief supplies to the needy in a timely fashion.
• Guidelines for the Establishment and Running A Camp Site
This tool provides guidance on strategic coordination and management of Mid to Long – Term Camping at campsites in the Republic of Haïti following the impact of an earthquake on 3rd January 2010. It responds to government of Haïti requested for 200, 000 tents to moderate conditions.
The guidelines inter alia provide guidance on the following:
o Identification and selection of campsite location.
o Selection, distribution and erecting of tents on campsite.
o Selecting and training of Camp managers and assistants.
o Rules and regulations for campsite.
o Campsite Command Structure.
• Work Programme for Technical Teams from CARICOM
The Technical Support team has developed a work programme for technical support teams being deployed to Haiti from CARICOM. The immediate focus is on:
o Enhancement of the relief supplies management system focusing on the collection, storage and distribution of supplies - through a collaborative mechanism involving the Government and the UN Cluster group.
o Enhancement of the National Emergency Operations Center Guidelines and development of SOPs.
o Streamlining of the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) process.
2.2.2 CARICOM Operations
The CARICOM contingent also continues to support the following tasks:
i. Medical Services –over 1,000 persons have been treated through CARICOM assistance in Haiti. This has been through the Bernard Mevs Hospital and the Community Hospital of Freres as well as the CARICOM clinic at the Food for the Poor compound, which sees approximately 90 persons daily. Medical assistance is being provided through the sub-regional focal point, Jamaica.
ii. Relief Distribution - The CDRU team continues to support the distribution of relief supplies as well as assessing suitable areas for strengthening of CARICOM medical services.
iii. Convoy Security – the CARICOM forces have been instrumental in providing convoy security for its own distribution, Food for the Poor (FFP) and other small NGOs working in areas not being serviced with relief supplies.
iv. Search & Rescue – fifteen search and rescue operations were conducted which resulted in the rescue of six persons, including two children. The SAR operations have been stood down.
v. Emergency Centre Operations - The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) support team deployed by CARICOM continue to focus on releasing the immense backlog of relief supplies and food at the airport which are accumulating and trickling out.
vi. Partnerships – Partnerships are being established with NGOs, International Organizations such as FFP, UN and USAID for advancing response support to Haiti.
vii. Other Activities - Engineering teams continue to assess structures in several locations with a view to conducting much needed repairs and reconstruction.
3.0 Regional Fund Raising and Pledges (Updated)
CARICOM has established an account at the First Caribbean International Bank in Barbados, for the channeling of financial aid to support relief efforts.
The Government of Australia signed an agreement on Friday January 29, 2010 with CDEMA to facilitate the handing over of an initial AUS$1 million for humanitarian assistance to earthquake ravaged Haiti. Australia has already contributed AUS$5 million dollars for immediate emergency assistance to Haiti and further AUS$5 million for longer term reconstruction.
The United Kingdom has donated US$ 35 million to the relief effort, with US$ 3.5 earmarked for future Disaster Risk Reduction support.
See full situation report Haiti Sitrep #11 (84.48 kB)