The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has requested the unique capabilities of the Department of Defense (DoD) U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to support USAID’s response to the earthquake that struck southwestern Haiti on August 14, 2021.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has established Joint Task Force-Haiti in support of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which is leading the U.S. government’s response efforts.
SOUTHCOM is providing air transport to move USAID DART personnel and supplies to affected areas following the 7.2 magnitude quake, which severely damaged major roads and bridges, making ground transportation between Port au Prince and the affected areas challenging. SOUTHCOM is sending eight helicopters, including three UH-60 Black Hawks, three CH-47 Chinooks, and two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters. In addition, SOUTHCOM is providing aerial images to support damage assessments.
Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard began transporting DART personnel to affected areas on August 16, 2021 to begin search and rescue operations by conducting on the ground assessments.