Haiti – Earthquake Fact Sheet #10, September 2, FY2021

September 2, 2021 

Highlights

USAID/BHA delivers emergency medical kits sufficient to treat approximately 20,000 people for three months to Port-au-Prince for onward distribution by PAHO.

DART members conduct assessments and observe distributions of assistance in Grand’Anse, Nippes, and Sud, identifying urgent health and WASH needs.

USAID/BHA releases a total of approximately 1,747 MT of contingency food commodities to WFP, enabling the UN agency to provide food assistance to 65,000 people for two months.

JTF-Haiti conducts 661 missions, assisting nearly 480 people and transporting approximately 574,000 pounds of relief commodities to affected areas.

Key Developments

USAID/BHA Delivers Medical Supplies Sufficient for 20,000 People to Haiti Amid Elevated Health Needs

Heightened health needs persist in southwestern Haiti following the August 14 earthquake. In addition to injuring nearly 12,300 people, the earthquake has exacerbated health care service access challenges facing vulnerable communities, damaging health facilities and transportation infrastructure, compounding shortages of critical medical supplies and fuel, and disrupting routine health care services in affected areas, the UN reports. The earthquake had damaged or destroyed an estimated 79 health care facilities across Grand’Anse, Nippes, and Sud departments as of August 30, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). In addition, some rural communities in affected areas remain unable to access functional health facilities due to infrastructure damage, while limited health care capacity in population centers has elevated health risks—such as wound infection and tetanus—among individuals with earthquake-related trauma injuries. The interruption of routine health care services has also increased the risk of maternal and newborn deaths, as many maternity and surgical wards remain inconducive for safe deliveries. Based on demographic information in affected areas, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) anticipates more than 18,600 women will give birth within six months, underscoring the need for immediate access to emergency obstetric care.

In response to heightened health needs, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) delivered emergency medical kits—which include bandages, examination gloves, gauze, malaria medicine, stethoscopes, syringes, and thermometers—sufficient to meet the urgent health needs of approximately 20,000 people for three months to Haiti’s capital city of Port-au-Prince on August 30. USAID/BHA subsequently provided the kits to PAHO for distribution to health facilities in southwestern Haiti. Meanwhile, PAHO deployed mobile medical units and personnel to rural communities in Grand’Anse and to Sud’s Les Cayes commune, bolstering health care availability. Moreover, other relief actors had deployed eight emergency medical teams—capable of treating approximately 100 patients per day—to affected areas as of September 1.

DART Teams Visit Affected Areas, Identify Urgent Health and WASH Needs as Partners Respond

The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) continues to conduct assessments in affected areas to coordinate U.S. Government earthquake response efforts. On August 31, one DART team travelled to Grand’Anse’s Jérémie city to visit a UNFPA-supported hospital receiving patients from the region. Médecins Sans Frontières had also established a supplementary tent outside of the facility to provide services to additional individuals. Despite ongoing support from relief actors, the DART noted that health needs surpassed available resources, and a hospital official highlighted the need for additional medical equipment and supplies, mental health and psychosocial support services (PSS), and obstetric and gynecological care. In addition, on September 1, DART members travelled to Sud’s Camp-Perrin commune to assess needs and observe interventions by ACTED and USAID/BHA partner the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). IFRC distributed family kits—comprising food, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) items—to nearly 200 households, while ACTED had installed two 2,640 gallon water bladders serving nearly 2,700 people in both Camp-Perrin town and the commune’s Marceline town, respectively. DART staff noted damage to Marceline’s water system and that municipal waste collection trucks were diverted to clear rubble, underscoring the need for ongoing WASH services for populations in the area. Furthermore, separate DART teams travelled to USAID/BHA partner the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warehouses in Jérémie and Nippes’ Miragoâne commune to observe response activities on August 31 and September 1, respectively. From August 16 to 31, IOM distributed nearly 25,400 USAID/BHA-funded relief commodities—including blankets, hygiene kits, jerry cans, kitchen sets, plastic sheets, and shelter fixing kits—to affected households.

USAID/BHA Releases an Additional 916 MT of Food for WFP Response Operations, as WFP-Led Convoys Continue

USAID/BHA continues to support the UN World Food Program (WFP) to distribute emergency food assistance and facilitate the transport of relief commodities via barge and truck convoy to earthquake-affected areas. On August 31, USAID/BHA released an additional approximately 916 metric tons (MT) of contingency food stocks in Haiti to WFP to bolster ongoing emergency food assistance operations, bringing the total amount of released USAID/BHA contingency food in response to the earthquake to approximately 1,747 MT. In total, the contingency food commodities will enable WFP to provide food assistance to an estimated 65,000 people for two months. As of August 29, the UN agency had reached more than 62,000 people across Grand’Anse, Nippes, and Sud with assistance supported by USAID/BHA and other donors, providing 604 MT of food to more than 33,300 people, distributing cash transfers to nearly 17,600 people, and delivering more than 24,200 hot meals to individuals in hospitals.

Meanwhile, WFP continues to facilitate daily humanitarian convoys transporting food and emergency relief commodities from Port-au-Prince to southwestern Haiti. From August 18 to September 1, WFP-led convoys transported 165 truckloads of assistance—including approximately 500 MT of food, as well as other relief commodities—to affected areas. With USAID/BHA support, WFP had also operated eight barge services carrying relief commodities to Ouest Department for onward transportation by road to avoid insecurity-related access constraints in and around Port-au-Prince as of August 30.

JTF-Haiti Completes 661 Missions, Transporting nearly 574,000 Pounds of Emergency Relief Commodities to Affected Areas

Joint Task Force (JTF)-Haiti continues to support DART-led relief efforts in response to the earthquake, completing 661 missions, assisting 477 people, and transporting nearly 574,000 pounds of emergency relief commodities to affected areas via U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) assets as of September 1. On August 31, JTF-Haiti transported 65 MT of food and nearly 20 MT of plastic sheeting via air and sea from Port-au-Prince to Jérémie for onward distribution by non-governmental organization (NGO) Mission of Hope, as well as transported nearly 9 MT of food to Jérémie for NGO World Central Kitchen. In addition, the task force conducted multiple missions carrying Government of Haiti (GoH) Civil Protection General Directorate (DGPC) relief commodities and personnel from Port-au-Prince to Grand’Anse’s Pestel commune and Grand Cayemite Island and Nippes L’Asile commune on August 30 and September 1. JTF-Haiti also provided transportation for Haitian Ambassador to the United States Bocchit Edmond, members of the Haitian diaspora, and a DART member to conduct an aerial survey of affected areas on August 30.

NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, AND U.S. GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

URBAN SEARCH-AND-RESCUE

Following the earthquake, the GoH requested international assistance for urban search-and-rescue (USAR) support. A USAR team from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, including 65 search-and-rescue personnel and four canines, subsequently deployed alongside DART members, arriving in Haiti on August 15. The USAR team traveled with 52,000 pounds of specialized tools and medical equipment, with additional supplies arriving on August 17.

USAID/BHA USAR teams consist of 19 functional positions, staffed by experienced emergency managers, construction riggers, hazardous materials technicians, licensed engineers and emergency medicine physicians, logisticians, paramedics, planners, search-and-rescue specialists, and search-and-rescue dogs with handlers. USAR teams perform life-saving technical activities, including specialized search-and-rescue operations to recover individuals trapped in damaged or destroyed buildings.

On August 14, the GoH declared a one-month state of emergency in Haiti due to the earthquake and activated DGPC personnel, mobilizing search-and-rescue brigades to earthquake-affected areas. The GoH also activated the National Emergency Operations Center to coordinate assessment and response activities. Meanwhile, several governments across the Latin America and Caribbean region mobilized personnel and supplies to support USAR operations.

On August 25, DART USAR staff demobilized and returned to the United States following the completion of rescue efforts in Haiti, while dozens of DART staff remain in country to continue scaling up humanitarian assistance for affected communities. DART USAR experts reached communities in 15 communes while in Haiti, including Grand’Anse’s Beaumont, Corail, Dame Marie, Jérémie, Pestel, and Roseaux; Nippes’s Anse-à-Veau, Baradères, and Petit-Trou-de-Nippes; and Sud’s Camp-Perrin, Île-à-Vache, Les Cayes, Maniche, Port-à-Piment, and Saint-Louis-du-Sud.

LOGISTICS AND HCIMA SUPPORT

USAID/BHA is providing logistics support in heavily-affected communities in Grand’Anse, Nippes, and Sud. In addition, on August 16, USCG helicopters deployed to Haiti and began transporting DART and USAR personnel to assist assessment and response activities. USAID also requested the unique capabilities of the DoD’s U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) to support USAID’s response efforts with air transport of relief commodities, staff, and USAR team members within Haiti, as well as assessment efforts in earthquake-affected areas.

USSOUTHCOM deployed numerous aircraft to support humanitarian operations and is providing aerial imagery to support damage assessments. Meanwhile, USAID/BHA is supporting a WFP barge service to facilitate additional humanitarian transport between Port-au-Prince and coastal areas of southwestern Haiti, as well as the operation of WFP-led convoys by road from Port-au-Prince to affected areas.

HCIMA

In response to the earthquake, five members of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department deployed as part of the Americas Support Team (AST) to provide technical support to UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) personnel, assisting with humanitarian coordination, information management, and assessment (HCIMA) efforts. The AST is a module supported through USAID/BHA to assist with disaster response operations and coordination efforts between the UN, local emergency management agencies, and other relief actors, including donor governments and NGOs.

USAID/BHA is supporting IFRC to conduct damage and needs assessments through the Haitian Red Cross in coordination with the GoH. In addition, the Haitian Red Cross is providing first aid and other health care services; providing PSS and family reunification interventions; and conducting hygiene awareness campaigns in earthquake-affected communities in Sud.

On August 26, the UN launched a Flash Appeal in response to the Haiti earthquake, requesting more than $187 million to provide humanitarian assistance to approximately 500,000 people in southwestern Haiti. In addition, the UN allocated $8 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund on August 15 to support health, WASH, and other forms of assistance.

RELIEF COMMODITIES, SHELTER, AND WASH

USAID/BHA funds IOM to maintain pre-positioned emergency relief supplies—sufficient to support nearly 50,000 individuals—in Haiti for distribution in response to sudden-onset disasters, such as earthquakes and other shocks. IOM had distributed nearly 25,400 USAID/BHA-funded relief commodities—including blankets, hygiene kits, jerry cans, kitchen sets, plastic sheets, and shelter fixing kits—to affected households as of August 31. Separately, a USAID/BHA-funded Global WASH Sector Field Support Team Coordinator arrived in Haiti on August 19 to support coordination of the WASH response through national-level platforms, and USAID/BHA has also activated a DART shelter advisor to support the provision of shelter assistance in affected areas.

FOOD SECURITY

As of August 31, USAID/BHA had released more than 1,747 MT of food—including beans, rice, and vegetable oil—from its contingency stock managed by WFP, enabling the UN agency to reach 65,000 beneficiaries with monthly food distributions for two months. In addition to conducting food distributions in affected areas, WFP is providing daily meals to several thousand people injured by the earthquake during their hospitalization. WFP plans to further scale up food assistance operations to reach approximately 215,000 people in southwestern Haiti in the coming months.

HEALTH

On August 15, the USCG deployed two helicopters with medical staff and supplies to Haiti. Alongside supporting USAR and logistics efforts, the helicopters also transported injured patients from affected areas to Port-au-Prince. As of August 26, the USCG had flown 262 sorties, performed medical evacuations for 381 people, and transported relief personnel, including members of the DART, and approximately 34,600 pounds of emergency relief supplies to affected areas.

On August 30, USAID/BHA delivered emergency medical kits—including bandages, examination gloves, gauze, malaria medicine, stethoscopes, syringes, and thermometers—sufficient to meet the urgent medical needs of approximately 20,000 people for three months. USAID/BHA is providing the items to PAHO for onward distribution in southwestern Haiti. The GoH Ministry of Public Health and Population activated an emergency health crisis cell to coordinate information on needs and response efforts with health partners, according to the UN. In addition, specialized medical personnel deployed with supplies to treat trauma and orthopedic needs among earthquake-affected populations. Meanwhile, the PAHO country office in Haiti has activated its emergency plan, while PAHO and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) declared a health emergency for Haiti and neighboring Dominican Republic for the duration of 2021.

PUBLIC DONATION INFORMATION

The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for disaster responses around the world can be found at www.interaction.org.

USAID encourages cash donations because they allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, and warehouse space); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; and ensure culturally, dietarily, and environmentally appropriate assistance.

More information can be found at:

• USAID Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or +1.202.661.7710.
• Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.int.