Latest Haiti Disaster Updates Feb. 3
  

February 3, 2010 ( New information is in blue)

Background

Please forward to anyone who might be interested.

On January 12, at 5:22pm local time, a series of earthquakes ranging from magnitude 6.5 to 7.3 struck Haiti in the highly populated area of Department Ouest, 10 miles southeast of Port-au-Prince. Aftershocks continue to occur.

Recent Developments

At this time, the most pressing needs identified by the Red Cross are shelter, sanitation and hygiene, food, and hospital bed capacity for post-surgical patients.

The Red Cross has assessed all affected areas in Port-au-Prince. More assessments are expected in surrounding areas that were not directly affected but are receiving an influx of displaced people.

The Red Cross response is expanding into areas outside of Port-au-Prince to the heavily damaged cities of Jacmel and Leogane as three Relief Emergency Response Units distributing relief supplies in those communities.

According to the UN, the port of Port-au-Prince has been declared unsafe for incoming ships following an in-depth assessment. Landing crafts are being used to offload boats, but these are operating with very limited capacity.

The deep community presence of the Haitian Red Cross has allowed Red Cross responders to distribute aid in an orderly and efficient manner. They visit the community in advance to alert them that aid is coming and vouchers are then handed out; later, the Red Cross returns to hand out supplies at a pre-determined location to recipients who wait in line to receive them.

At this time, the most pressing needs identified by the Red Cross are shelter, sanitation and hygiene, childcare, food, and hospital bed capacity for post-surgical patients.

The Red Cross response is expanding into areas outside of Port-au-Prince to Jacmel and Leogane as two Relief Emergency Response Units begin distributing relief supplies in those communities.

The number of people receiving treatment at Red Cross health facilities on a daily basis is expected to rise

to 1,000 people as an additional Red Cross field hospital in Carrefour becomes operational today.

The Red Cross has obtained a new 5,000 square meter warehouse in Port-au-Prince which is now operational. With all Emergency Response Units on the ground and the additional warehouse space, the amount of relief supplies from the Red Cross pipeline available for distribution is increasing daily.

In support of the response, the Dominican Red Cross is providing services across the border with logistics support, medical care, Restoring Family Links, and psychosocial support.

According to the UN, normal activity has returned to some parts of Port-au-Prince, including the opening of banks and supermarkets and fuel availability at gas stations.

Logistics bottlenecks remain, but are improving daily. Over the weekend, an additional Red Cross field hospital arrived in Port-au-Prince and will begin providing services at Carrefour soccer stadium today. An additional Red Cross base camp has also arrived and is currently being set up.

Following discussions with the USAID Administrator, the American Red Cross deployed the Senior Vice President of Disaster Services to Port-au-Prince to coordinate the arrival of priority flights into the city’s airport.

Red Cross teams are reaching new earthquake survivors each day with emergency medical services for an average of 500 people per day and relief items for up to 6,000 people each day. In addition, Red Cross teams on the ground are now distributing more than 400,000 liters of water daily.

Numbers at a Glance

Current Situation

Overview

Despite logistical and security constraints, the Red Cross and other relief agencies are reaching an increasing number of earthquake survivors with medical assistance, food, water and shelter. Medical supplies, water and sanitation, tents, blankets, food, fuel and transport equipment continue to be priority needs. Many earthquake survivors continue to leave Port-au-Prince to seek shelter with family in other parts of the country, potentially expanding the geographic areas that will require humanitarian support.

Logistics

The seaport has been declared unsafe for incoming ships following an in-depth assessment. Rio Haina in Dominican Republic is still the recommended entry point for sea shipment. Port-au-Prince airport is operating at peak capacity with an average of 120 incoming flights per day, although ‘no-shows’ due to strict flight arrival slots are becoming an issue.

In Haiti, most of the technical issues at the airport have been resolved and ground handling services have improved drastically. The second Red Cross warehouse in Port-au-Prince is now operational, dedicated to relief and shelter supplies, with the first warehouse focusing on Emergency Response Unit (ERU) needs. The amount of relief supplies from the Red Cross pipeline available for distribution is increasing daily, however, the arrival and management of unsolicited relief items is a growing concern that affects capacity.

In addition, another warehouse in Santo Domingo is now operational and will increase logistics capacity for supplies arriving via Dominican Republic.

The UN logistics cluster reports that the Port-au-Prince airport continues to receive large quantities of incoming goods and the situation on the tarmac is improving. Goods are now offloaded into a secure humanitarian cargo area. Smaller planes are preferred and larger planes are encouraged to land in Santo Domingo and transport supplies by road to Port-au-Prince. In addition, the main seaport is operational, but limited now to boats with a maximum draft of 20 feet and 100 meters long.

The Red Cross has obtained a new 5,000 square meter warehouse in Port-au-Prince which is now operational. With all Emergency Response Units (ERUs) on the ground, and the additional warehouse space, the amount of relief supplies from the Red Cross pipeline available for distribution is increasing daily, and some relief items can be sent directly to Port-au-Prince. In addition, another warehouse in Santo Domingo has been obtained to increase logistics capacity for supplies arriving via Dominican Republic.

The Red Cross Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) in Panama is sending full charter flights of relief items this week to cover the next full week of relief distributions. To date, a total of 49 Red Cross relief flights have landed in Santo Domingo and Haiti. All items for the full 60,000 families (300,000 people) committed to by Red Cross are in the relief supplies pipeline.

Security

The security situation remains precarious, but there have been no reports of serious incidents. The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) continues to escort humanitarian convoys as they travel from the border with the Dominican Republic into Port-Au-Prince, as well as between the northern ports of Haiti and Port-au-Prince. Approximately 3,500 MINUSTAH forces are patrolling the capital. The American Red Cross Relief ERU is working closely with the Haitian National Red Cross Society (HNRCS) to socialize relief distributions and defuse tensions. In addition, the Red Cross now has a security coordinator in place to coordinate security issues for the Red Cross response.

Protection

Relief agencies are encountering children who have been separated from their families. The UN protection cluster is working to establish a system to take care of displaced children, including establishing child-friendly centers soon.

Search and Rescue

Search and rescue activities are winding down operations. A small number of search and rescue teams remain active to respond to requests for search activities and to assist the Government of Haiti with expertise and heavy-lifting equipment for debris removal.

Search and rescue teams are conducting secondary reconnaissance missions throughout Port-au-Prince following yesterday’s aftershock, as structurally unsound buildings may have collapsed. To date, international search and rescue teams have rescued 121 people. At the peak of efforts, at least 52 teams – including Red Cross teams from Colombia, Mexico and Ecuador – with more than 1,800 rescue workers and 175 dogs were searching for survivors in priority areas. As teams gradually conclude activities, many personnel are assisting with other relief activities. For example, the Mexican Red Cross team is now joining the American Red Cross in support of relief distributions. Search and rescue activities will continue until the Haiti government officially decides to cease operations.

Health

Approximately 600 patients are being seen per day at Red Cross health facilities, with around 4,000 seen to date. Medical services include surgeries, psychosocial support, and outpatient care from two field hospitals and three mobile Basic Healthcare ERUs providing services in locations across Port-au-Prince. Epidemiological surveillance has begun as well as psychological support and hygiene promotion.

Medical teams have reported that the number of patients with mental health needs continues to rise while the number of trauma and surgical cases has decreased, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Red Cross teams from the Haitian National Red Cross Society (HNRCS) and Colombian Red Cross are providing psychosocial support to survivors and Red Cross workers.

Combined Red Cross health facilities now have a capacity to provide care to 1,000 patients every day as of today, as the additional Red Cross field hospital in Carrefour becomes operational. As new medical staff arrive from partner Red Cross national societies, they are being integrated into existing teams. Medical services include surgeries, psychosocial support, and outpatient care from the field hospitals and the three mobile Basic Healthcare ERUs providing services in locations across Port-au-Prince.

In support of the response, the Dominican Red Cross is providing services across the border with medical care, Restoring Family Links, and psychosocial support.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is still providing medical supplies and support to the HNRCS for the ten first aid posts it is currently operating.

The Government of Haiti has defined current health priorities as post operative care, care for infections, wounds and broken bones, and care for those who have lost limbs. In addition the government is also focusing on primary health care, health centers and hospitals.

Health cluster agencies are reporting that the psychological impact of the disaster is becoming more apparent in patients being treated in clinics. Haitian National Red Cross Society staff and volunteers are providing psychological first aid to hospital staff and patients at Red Cross health facilities. In addition, Red Cross staff at the field hospital at Hopital Universitaire are providing psychosocial support to patients as well as psychological first aid training to volunteers.

As of January 26, the USNS Comfort had treated more than 14,300 patients and performed nearly 180 surgeries. The Government of Haiti’s Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are working to identify additional sites to relocate treated patients for post-operative care in order to accommodate additional incoming patients. Creole speakers trained by the American Red Cross continue to provide translation services aboard the ship.

At the request of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the American Red Cross shipped 350 units of blood this week to arrive in Port-au-Prince today.

Shelter/Relief Items

The main challenges for the providing shelter needs include: scarcity of open spaces in Port-au-Prince; uncertainty regarding the security of remaining buildings; density of the population; difficulties with host families; and the approaching rainy season. The combination of immediate shelter assistance with more durable settlement solutions also remains a challenge.

At this time, the most pressing needs identified by the Red Cross are for shelter, sanitation and hygiene, childcare, food and hospital bed capacity for post-surgical patients.

The Red Cross response is expanding into areas outside of Port-au-Prince to Jacmel and Leogane. Leogane is the most damaged area assessed where humanitarian aid has yet to arrive. A Relief ERU will be deployed to Leogane to coordinate Red Cross relief activities.

Humanitarian aid has arrived in Jacmel, where 40 to 50 percent of buildings are destroyed, and up to 5,000 people in settlements. The Haiti National Red Cross Society (HNRCS) branch in Jacmel is fully operational with 75 staff and volunteers, despite damage to their headquarters. This branch is supported by 50 people from the Dominican Red Cross for the provision of health care, water and sanitation and food distribution.

The American Red Cross Relief ERU in Port-au-Prince continues to coordinate with the other ERUs, HNRCS and bilateral teams from other partner national societies such as Colombian Red Cross, Mexican Red Cross and Dominican Red Cross, to distribute incoming relief supplies. Since January 19, Red Cross relief supplies such as tarpaulins, blankets, kitchen sets and hygiene kits have been provided to over 31,000 people. The third Relief ERU with members from Finnish and French Red Cross has arrived as well.

The deep community presence of the Haitian National Red Cross Society has allowed Red Cross teams to distribute aid in an orderly and efficient manner. ERU teams and HNRCS volunteers visit the community in advance to alert them that aid is coming, register beneficiaries and hand out vouchers. They return by the next day to hand out the supplies at a pre-determined location to recipients with vouchers.

Food

The American Red Cross has sent food to those in need, including 3 million pre-packaged meals and funding for World Food Program (WFP) efforts that will enable them to feed up to 1 million people for a month. This is in addition to the more than $600,000 provided to International Committee of the Red Cross to provide food at medical hospitals and clinics.

WFP reports that since January 12, it has delivered food aid to nearly 450,000 people through the distribution of nearly 10 million meals. Once initial food distributions are complete, WFP plans to transition to rations that provide a 60-day supply of dried goods, and initiating food-for-work activities when possible to rehabilitate streets and public buildings.

UNICEF plans to collaborate with the child protection cluster to coordinate immunizations and distribution of items such as oral rehydration solutions and fortified biscuits in orphanages. Due to high numbers of orphans and mothers who are not able to breastfeed, a sub-cluster has been activated to oversee all aspects of infant feeding and ensure coordination.

The agricultural cluster is monitoring prices in areas receiving displaced urban populations. The first indications show significant price increases for the main food items.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is working to address needs in the agricultural sector to prepare for the March to May planting season. Initial assessments indicate irrigation channels have been blocked by debris and landslides, and there is insufficient water available for irrigation.

The nutrition cluster is assessing some 200 temporary settlement sites in Port-au-Prince to understand nutrition needs, including specific food needs for vulnerable populations and supplementary rations. The priority is for assistance to children under age two.

The UN World Food Program (WFP) estimates that 2 million people are in need of food assistance.

To date, cluster partners have provided food to more than 500,000 people, a quarter of whom live outside of Port-au-Prince, according to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). When possible, the Red Cross is now providing food as part of relief item distributions.

The major constraints to food delivery remain limited ports of entry, increased traffic congestion, and the need for military escorts to provide security at all distribution sites.

Water/Sanitation

The Movement is now producing almost 1 million liters of water per day to approximately 185,000 beneficiaries. This is equivalent to an average of 5.4 liters per person per day.

Red Cross has increased its distribution of water to more than 500,000 liters per day at 68 settlements to 100,000 people through the two Water and Sanitation ERUs. To date, the Red Cross has distributed close to 3,520,000 liters of water.

Relief partners in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) cluster, including the Red Cross, are now providing daily water for an estimated 308,000 people at 133 sites in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. In addition, hygiene promotion activities have begun in coordination with Health, and Water and Sanitation ERUs and the Haitian National Red Cross.

Both Red Cross Mass Sanitation ERUs are now operational, with one working to construct latrines for 20,000 people in Leogane. In addition, the ICRC has provided latrines in Port-au-Prince and is sponsoring garbage collection in an effort to improve sanitation. Assessments continue to take place by both the Red Cross and the WASH cluster to determine water and sanitation needs.

Migration

Individuals with relatives in non-affected regions continue to take advantage of the Haitian government’s free transport service to leave Port-au-Prince. As of January 27, an estimated 235,000 people had left for outlying departments, according to OCHA. This includes more than 62,000 people bound for Artibonite department, particularly the town of Saint Marc.

People continue to leave Port-au-Prince for unaffected areas in the south and south west of the country. The Haitian government’s free transport service for people wanting to leave Port-au-Prince remains active and many are leaving affected areas. According to MINUSTAH, populations are arriving in Grande Anse, Nippes, South and Southeast departments. The provision of tents and other items to these populations and the installation of organized, structured transit centers will be needed.

Education

All schools remain closed and there is no firm indication of when they will re-open. The education cluster estimates that 90 percent of schools in Port-au-Prince and 60 percent of the schools in the South and West departments have been partially damaged or destroyed, affecting some 500,000 children ages 5 to 14.

Livelihoods

According to USAID, the government of Haiti has requested that banks, including at least 30 in Port-au-Prince, reopen on January 21 to allow businesses to distribute employees’ salaries and restart operations. The government of Haiti is prioritizing a rapid return to economic activities through the establishment of food- and cash-for-work programs, including efforts to re-establish power and remove debris from roads, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Protection

The child protection sub-cluster continues rapid assessments in settlement sites, orphanages, and hospitals. The rapid registration of especially vulnerable unaccompanied children has started, including unaccompanied children who are under five and those with mental or physical disabilities, and a database for separated or unaccompanied children is being established.

The Protection Cluster has identified priority protection issues, including security around the settlements and access to assistance for vulnerable groups, in particular older persons and people with disabilities.

UNICEF is continuing to spearhead the establishment of child-friendly spaces for separated/unaccompanied children in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince with a capacity for 200,000 children.

According to the UN, the Child Protection sub-cluster is continuing rapid assessments of temporary settlements, orphanages and hospitals. Due to reports of children being released from hospitals due to lack of beds without any responsible or authorized caregivers, health workers are being advised to monitor and send separated/unaccompanied children to child friendly spaces.

According to OCHA, protection cluster partners are assessing needs for separated/unaccompanied children, including visits to makeshift settlement sites, institutions, orphanages and hospitals. The government of Haiti has provided a list of 114 orphanages with an estimated 4,000 children in need of support.

Recovery

A Red Cross Recovery Scoping Team is being deployed to conduct discussions with the Government of Haiti and key development partners including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and the UN in order to develop a recovery plan for the medium and long-term. This team is being led by an American Red Cross delegate.

The UN early recovery cluster is focusing on cash for work programs entailing manual labor clean-up works that traditionally target men. The planned Red Cross

Ventura Red Cross

The American Red Cross of Ventura is organizing its available disaster volunteers for deployment when specific needs are determined. As this large scale catastrophic event will require significant resources in support of the Haitian community, the local chapter will also be managing donations and inquiries from individuals and businesses seeking personal and other information.

Several local businesses are holding events to support Red Cross Haitian Relief. See below for a few, and go to www.arcventura.org for updates. Others recognizing the potential impact the Haitian relief effort might have on local chapter fundraising have voiced support to assist in those efforts after resources have reached needed levels for Haitian support.

January 30th  through                       T.O. Westlake Karate Studio

February 5th                                      5700 Corsa Ave. Suite 111

Westlake Village  91362

(818) 889-3333

Donate $2 and break a board for Red Cross

-

February 10th            Wednesday   Chili’s Resturant

                                                            All restaurants in Tri-County

February 11th            Thursday        Boys & Girls Club of Ventura

                                                            Westview Center

                                                            6-7:30 pm

American Red Cross

As of today, the American Red Cross has spent or committed more than $67

million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors, with $30 million

going to the World Food Program, which will feed up to 1 million people in Haiti

for a month.

During this emergency phase of the relief operation, the American Red Cross is

focusing its resources on in several areas:

Pre-packaged meals and funding for World Food Program efforts;

Supplies and funding needed to provide clean drinking water;

Shelter items such as blankets, tarps, sleeping mats and tents; and

Health needs of Haitian survivors as well as support to Haitian families in Haiti

and the US. This includes providing relief supplies, shipment of blood

products, family linking services and providing Red Cross volunteers to the

USNS Comfort.

To meet urgent needs, seventy-nine percent of the funds spent or committed have been for food and water; eighteen percent have been for shelter; and the rest have been for health and family services.

This is already the largest single-country personnel deployment in global Red Cross history. The number of emergency response teams in or en route to Haiti equals those that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami – an emergency that spanned 14 countries.

o American Red Cross chapters have begun to provide support to Haitian-American citizens arriving in the United States. At least 600 evacuees received clothing and other support upon arrival in Florida.

The American Red Cross is providing shipments of blood and blood products to Haiti at the request of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The American Red Cross also provided blood and blood products to the U.S. Navy to help Haitian medical patients evacuated to facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In addition, the American Red Cross has sent a shipment of blood products to the UN Mission in Haiti.

Haiti National Red Cross

Support from Haitian National Red Cross Society staff and volunteers is critical to the relief operation, as they work with international Red Cross and Red Crescent teams providing food, water, first aid and other logistical assistance. It is important to recognize that these staff and volunteers have been gravely affected by the disaster themselves having lost homes and loved ones.

HNRCS facilities were badly affected and are still not operational, with particular damage to the blood transfusion center and first aid stocks.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation)

o The International Federation has released a Revised Emergency Appeal for US $103.3 million to help meet the immediate needs of 300,000 people over the next three years. Thousands of Red Cross workers representing 30 countries are currently assisting with relief efforts in the region.

o In addition to deploying a Field Assessment Coordination Team (FACT), the International Federation has mobilized 13 Emergency Response Units to provide support in logistics, relief and shelter, water and sanitation and healthcare, including specialists to meet basic health needs as well as provide complex care through a field hospital.

o The International Federation is coordinating the response through its Panama-based Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) which is providing coordination, logistics and supplies.

o The International Federation is coordinating the global Red Cross network response with the UN and other relief agencies.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

o The International Committee of the Red Cross continues to distribute medical assistance to major hospitals, clinics and smaller facilities. The ICRC is also working with the International Federation to distribute relief supplies and coordinate the arrival of emergency relief staff.

o The ICRC is coordinating family tracing activities and will be focusing on helping people affected by the disaster in Haiti to communicate with family members.

o The ICRC is also working with the HNRCS to support efforts to ensure the bodies of the dead can be recovered and identified for the families.

United Nations and Government Response

United Nations

o The UN has released a Flash Appeal valued at US $562 million to support the efforts of 29 relief agencies seeking to meet the needs of 3 million people during the next six months. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released US $25 million in support of the appeal.

o The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has mobilized a United Nations Disaster and Assessment Team (UNDAC) as well as staff from its regional office in Panama. Multiple UN agencies are active on the ground, including the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme.

U.S. Government

o USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the lead U.S. government office responsible for providing humanitarian assistance. On January 14, the U.S. government pledged US $164 million to support response efforts.

o Seven U.S.-based urban search and rescue teams are actively searching for survivors on the ground.

o Multiple teams from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have arrived to provide basic medical care, perform emergency surgeries and provide emergency mortuary services.

o The U.S. military is taking a major role in relief operations, deploying teams to rehabilitate the airport and seaport, as well as providing logistics support for humanitarian operations.

Those Interested in Providing Financial Support

The American Red Cross is accepting monetary donations to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. Potential donors wishing to support this disaster may designate their gift to Haiti Relief and Development.

Although the need for continued support in Haiti is great, this incredible demonstration of generosity is affecting local chapters ability to seek resources for the support they provide their local communities. Please consider supporting those local charities doing good work in Haiti by also considering a gift in support of their 24/7/365 efforts here at home.

Donations can be made by designating Haiti Response or the preferred International Response (this will allow Red Cross greater flexibility in supporting this and other disasters) and donating through your local chapter.

Checks may be sent to

American Red Cross

Haiti Relief

P.O. Box 608

Camarillo, CA 93011;

on line at www.arcventura.org – select International Fund. 

Also, many chapters have inquired about the legitimacy of a donation service via mobile texting.  Please note that the service is legitimate, and is being offered through Mobile Accord and the State Department’s third-party fundraiser. Donors may text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts; the donation is an automatic $10 donation.

The American Red Cross does not anticipate in-kind donations for this international response.

Looking For Family Members?

Tracing Services:

As of January 23, nearly 25,200 people had registered with the ICRC's family linking website. Almost all of the registrations were from people searching for news about their relatives; 2,800 of these people have so far used the site to say they are safe and well.

Red Cross chapters in the U.S. are already reporting families in the U.S. who have successfully used the website to locate family members in Haiti.

1. People searching for family are being directed to:  www.icrc.org/familylinks, this information is public and can be viewed by anyone

2. Several tracing personal are on the ground and more are on the way

Inquiries regarding US Citizens living or traveling in Haiti

Inquiries concerning U.S. Citizens abroad should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225