OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Haiti: Floods
6 April 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from the
Government, UN Agencies, MINUSTAH and other humanitarian partners in the
field.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. By mid-March 2007, heavy rains affected several regions in Haiti.
After ten days in moderated alert for the entire country on strong rains
and heavy flooding, due to an approaching cold wave, national
authorities have deactivated the alert March 30. Nevertheless, according
to Meteorological National Center, a progressive deterioration of the
weather conditions is forecasted for the coming days.

2. All the country has been affected by heavy rains, being the
south-west and the north-east the two regions registering highest
damages. The Civil Protection Direction (DPC) reported twelve (12)
deaths, two (2) missing persons, and fourteen (14) injured.

3. At least, 2,723 families (approximately 16,000 people) were affected
by the flooding, of whom 261 families (approximately 1,500 persons) are
in provisional shelters in the North-East, North and Grande-Anse.

4. The DPC further informed that 270 houses were destroyed and 1,215
more were seriously damaged. Some roads in North, North-East, Nippes and
Grande-Anse are blocked, and large agriculture areas are flooded. The
commune of Abricots (Grande-Anse) is only accessible by boat, since the
road is completely destroyed. The West Department also registered some
damages in Port-au-Prince, Cite Soleil, Cabaret and Leogane.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

5. The Risk/Disaster Management Communal and Departmental Committees
(CDGRD) supported by DPC at central level, coordinated rapid assessments
and emergency response, as well as the information management on damages
and needs. In Ouanaminthe (North-East), under the leadership of the
Mayor and the support of humanitarian partners, including MINUSTAH
regional office, a crisis committee was set up.

6. The bad condition of roads and the overflowing of rivers are
hampering assessment missions. Sectoral evaluations on damage to
agriculture and road infrastructure are being conducted. Prevention and
mitigation activities, in particular cleaning-up of canals, will be
included in a medium-term plan.

7. The DPC is monitoring and drafting consolidated situation reports on
damages and needs. Until now, the DPC already presented nine (9)
consolidated reports.

8. A joint delegation of the Ministry of Interior, National Civil
Protection, MINUSTAH and OCHA traveled to Cap-Haitian and Ouanaminthe.
DPC disaster experts were deployed to the North-East and West (Cabaret)
to support the local authorities in the assessments.

9. The Haitian Government allocated an emergency fund amounting to
Haitian Gourde nine (9) million in order to assist the disaster affected
people and the Ministry of Interior additionally allocated HG 225,000
for families of those killed by the floods, to support funeral expenses.

10. Regarding road infrastructures, the Ministry of Public Works (MTPTC)
is planning rehabilitation activities.

11. The CDGRD of Grande-Anse identified the following needs for 25
affected families in Anse-du- Clerc: food assistance, hygiene and
kitchen kits, water purification, clothes; and the rehabilitation of the
drinking water system.

HUMANITARIAN PARTNERS RESPONSE

12. At regional level, in support of the CDGRD, the focal points of
MINUSTAH and other international partners, such as the World Food
Program (WFP) in the North, took part on the coordination meetings. At
central level, OCHA supported the DPC, in terms of compilation and
verification of information, dissemination of alerts, rapid damage
assessments, and preparation of situation maps.

13. The Haitian Red Cross (HRC) has activated its emergency operation
centre at national level and mobilized emergency response teams, as well
as deployed more than 100 volunteers to the affected areas. Evacuation,
first aid actions and damage assessment and need analysis (DANA) were
carried out. The HRC have distributed non food items such as blankets,
mosquito nets, kitchen materials, soap, jerry cans, and buckets for 50
families in Abricots and Bonbon (Grande-Anse). The HRC is currently
designing an action plan to provide relief support for 2,000 affected
people, including NFI relief distribution, as well as sanitation
activities.

14. MINUSTAH, in particular the regional offices and the deployed
military contingents, are supporting the Government to facilitate
assessment operations. Furthermore, MINUSTAH supported a special flight
over Cap-Haitian (North), Ferrier and Ouanaminthe (North-East).

15. WFP has decided to provide food assistance to the families in
temporary shelters in the North-East (Ferrier and Ouanaminthe) and the
North (Limbe and Cap Haitian).

16. According to the evolution of the situation, the WFP assistance will
focus on food for work activities (street cleaning), in coordination
with Oxfam UK for Limbe (North) and Agro Action Allemande (AAA) for
Ferrier and Ouanaminthe (North-East).

17. FAO is supporting the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct
agricultural assessments.

18. AAA distributed relief items to 410 people in temporary shelters in
Ferrier (North-East).

19. PLAN Haiti provided potable water, soap, pans and toilet rolls to
affected people in the North- East. PLAN staff also provided emergency
medical assistance and free medical consultations to people sheltered in
Ouanaminthe (North-East).


Contact details

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41 22 917 20 10

Desk officer
   NYC - Mr. Ignacio Leon-Garcia, Tel. +1 917 367 9960
   GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41 22 917 2653

Press contact
   NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel. +1 917 367 5126

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