INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Haiti Earthquake: Usaid/Dart Humanitarian Situation Update

Published: Sun 24 Jan 2010 03:08 AM
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AIDAC
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA
SUBJECT: HAITI EARTHQUAKE: USAID/DART HUMANITARIAN SITUATION UPDATE
REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0060; PORT A 0076
1. (U) Summary. Despite U.N. and media reports noting that the
Government of Haiti (GoH) declared the end of the search and rescue
phase on January 22, urban search and rescue (USAR) teams responded
to a request for assistance that resulted in a live rescue on
January 23. On January 22, the GoH revised the death toll to more
than 111,400 people. The GoH reported that 609,000 people remained
displaced in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area alone. Numbers
of population receiving assistance continue to increase, including
in the priority sectors of food assistance, water, and shelter. To
date, USAID has contributed nearly USD180 million in earthquake
response funding. End summary.
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SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS
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2. (U) According to the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination
(UNDAC) Team, the GoH announced the end of the search and rescue
phase at 1600 hours local time on January 22. However, the GoH
subsequently told the U.S. Embassy that it has not terminated
search and rescue operations. UNDAC reports that between January
13 and 21, international urban search and rescue teams (USAR)
rescued 132 people in total, of which 47 were by U.S. USAR teams.
According to international media reports, on January 22, an
84-year-old Haitian female was rescued by family and friends and a
21-year-old Haitian male was rescued by an Israeli USAR team. On
January 23, a French USAR team, with assistance from a Greek and
two U.S. USAR teams, rescued a 22-year-old Haitian male from the
rubble of the Napoli Hotel in downtown Port-au-Prince - 11 days
after the earthquake.
3. (U) The number of international USAR teams has significantly
decreased but USAID staff cannot confirm the number of
international teams that currently remain in-country. The six U.S.
USAR teams have begun demobilizing. In coordination with the GoH
and local fire authorities, U.S. USAR teams will leave behind a
significant cache of equipment for donation to Haitian first
responders, and 15 U.S. USAR staff members, including six
structural engineers, will remain in-country to train Haitian first
responders in the use of the donated equipment and provide
technical assistance on structural assessments and stabilization
efforts.
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LATEST ESTIMATES of DEATH AND DISPLACMENT
-----------------------------------------
4. (U) Efforts to account for the dead and displaced resulting
from the January 12 earthquake continue. On January 22, the GoH
revised the death toll to more than 111,400 people, according to
the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA). The number of displaced persons and associated spontaneous
settlement sites vary as ongoing assessments continue to refine
estimates.
5. (U) The GoH reported that 609,000 people remained displaced in
the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area alone. Of an estimated 500
spontaneous settlement sites accommodating displaced
earthquake-affected populations in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan
area, the Shelter and Non-Food Item (NFI) Cluster reported that
relief agencies had assessed 314 sites as of January 21. Based on
preliminary assessments, an estimated 470,000 people are residing
in the 314 sites and the projected total population for the 500
spontaneous sites could exceed 770,000 individuals.
6. (U) In addition to displaced persons in Port-au-Prince, on
January 23, the GoH reported that an estimated 210,000 individuals
have left the capital to other departments. This information
appears generally consistent with a January 20 and 21 rapid
assessment of outmigration from Port-au-Prince conducted by USAID
partner Market Chain Enhancement project in Haiti (MarChE).
According to MarChE, approximately 230,000 people have migrated
from Port-au-Prince to the departments of Grand-Anse, Nippes,
North, Northwest, South, Southeast, and Artibonite. MarChE
identified rapid job creation as an important need in all
departments receiving displaced persons and noted that residents
already unemployed before the earthquake fear that the new arrivals
may exacerbate socioeconomic pressures.
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FOOD ASSISTANCE
---------------
7. (SBU) On January 22, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and the
U.S. Military's Joint Task Force-Haiti (JTF-H) met to plan military
logistical and security support for the first phase of WFP's
operation to rapidly provide prepared meals to areas of
displacement. Under the plan, an estimated 15,000 people per day
will receive two-week rations at each of 15 distribution points.
The total requirement for the operation is 15 million prepared
meals, although the resourcing of this requirement has not been
confirmed. Although the plan was briefed to the GoH, it has not
yet been formally approved. (Note: This revised plan will replace
the original plan of four distribution hubs to service various
distribution points. Under this revised plan, beneficiaries will
have to walk no further than 5 km to reach a distribution point.
End note.)
8. (U) On January 22, WFP reached 66,321 people with food,
bringing the cumulative total to more than 284,000 people.
Numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including current
P.L. 480 Title II partners, have also started distributing food at
various locations, but numbers of beneficiaries reached are not yet
available. According to the GoH, an additional 300,000 people have
received hot meals from the Government of the Dominican Republic
and through the GoH's National School Feeding Program.
9. (U) On January 23, the JTF-H coordinated with the U.N.
Humanitarian Information Coordination Unit (HICU) located at the
U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and WFP to conduct
an air delivery of 40 bundles of prepared meals and 20 bundles of
water to a secure site in Port-au-Prince. WFP received and
distributed the commodities on the ground, with MINUSTAH securing
the distribution area.
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SHELTER
--------
10. (U) The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART)
reports that the Emergency Shelter Cluster's draft shelter strategy
will focus on host community support, transitional shelter,
disaster risk reduction programming, and cash-for-work activities
focused on salvaging and debris removal. The Emergency Shelter
Cluster capacity is expected to significantly increase with the
arrival of additional U.N., NGO, and International Organization for
Migration (IOM) qualified shelter specialists in the coming days.
11. (U) Citing significant needs among displaced persons in
Leogane and Gressier, the GoH is advocating for immediate tent
distributions in the two areas to provide shelter assistance.
However, IOM noted the depletion of tent stocks in Haiti, Panama,
and Florida, and the unavailability of tents from other regional
sources. Attempts to procure tents from India and other countries
involve a protracted delivery date unsuitable to address immediate
needs. IOM estimates that combined in-country tents stocks and
expected tent arrivals in the coming days represent a total of
40,000 tents capable of accommodating five individuals per tent for
a total of 200,000 individuals. However, given the extensive
shelter needs, tents are not the only option and will be
supplemented with host family support, transitional shelter, and
shelter kits featuring plastic sheeting.
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HEALTH
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12. (U) As of January 22, the Pan-American Health Organization
(PAHO) reported a total of 47 hospitals, 2 floating hospitals with
helicopter transport capacity - the USNS Comfort and a Mexican
hospital ship - and approximately 11 mobile clinics in
Port-au-Prince. In addition, 150 health facilities with primary
care are operational in Port-au-Prince, including 46 with operating
rooms, and 8 field hospitals. According to the Health Cluster,
approximately 20,000 people are known to be injured and in need of
medical assistance, of which approximately 1,000 patients require
specialized care.
13. (U) The U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) reports no
outbreaks of communicable diseases, including cholera, measles and
rubella, despite difficult public health conditions. However, the
earthquake has disrupted vaccination services and conditions have
contributed to increase population vulnerability. In response, the
Health Cluster has reported plans to increase immunization
activities for polio, measles, and diphtheria, pertussis, and
tetanus (DPT). However, details remain to be determined and will
require a stabilization of conditions and improved logistics. In
addition, the Health Cluster plans to establish epidemiological
surveillance mechanisms at 31 health facilities on January 24 to
monitor health conditions and disease outbreaks.
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WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE (WASH)
-------------------------------------
14. (U) Consolidation and increased coordination involving water
trucking efforts continue to improve distribution efforts. On
January 22, the WASH Cluster reported that a two-week contract
between the Coalition Nationale des Syndicats de Transporteurs
Ha????tiens (CNSTH) and the GoH's National Direction for Potable
Water
and Sanitation (DINEPA) is under finalization to provide fifty
3,000-gallon trucks to transport water from three pre-identified
sites (Drouillard, Cazeau, and Tabarre) to several distribution
sites in Bas Delmas, Haut Delmas, Plaine du Cul de Sac, and
Carrefour.
15. (U) On January 22, the WASH Cluster reported that 98 of the
highest density settlement sites and hospital sites are receiving
water deliveries, representing an estimated 225,000 individuals.
On average, water tanker trucks are delivering a total of 1 million
liters of water each day. Deliveries are currently providing
approximately four liters of water per person per day, in addition
to other existing water sources available near many camps.
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USAID ASSISTANCE
-----------------
16. (U) As of January 23, USAID has contributed nearly USD 180
million in earthquake response funding, including more than USD 102
million from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
(USAID/OFDA), USD 68 million from USAID's Office of Food for Peace
(USAID/FFP), USD 5 million from USAID's Office of Transition
Initiatives, more than USD 3.5 million from USAID/Haiti, and $1
million from USAID/Dominican Republic. Of the total, USAID has
contributed USD 90 million to the U.N. appeal, including USD 22
million in non-food assistance and USD 68 million in food
assistance.
17. (U) As of January 22, USAID/OFDA had consigned 766 rolls of
plastic sheeting, 64,000 aqua tabs, 54,414 water containers, 35,242
hygiene kits, 817 kitchen kits, 20 water bladders, 446 tents, 3,090
blankets, 1,000 body bags, 13 water purifiers, 380 food rations,
and 408 sleeping mats to IOM as part of Haiti earthquake response
efforts.
18. (U) On January 22, USAID/OFDA partner IOM reported that more
than 100,000 people were receiving relief items daily, including
blankets, kitchen sets, plastic sheeting, water containers, water
purification tablets, and mosquito nets, through IOM and partners
in Port-au-Prince. As of January 23, USAID/OFDA-provided relief
supplies continue to be offloaded from the USNS LUMMUS. The
commodities include 3,552 kitchen sets to benefit more than 17,000
individuals and 400 rolls of plastic sheeting to serve the shelter
needs of 20,000 individuals, as well as water, fuel, and rubble
removal equipment. In addition, two USAID/OFDA-chartered flights
are currently en route to Port-au-Prince, transporting water
containers, hygiene kits, and plastic sheeting.
19. (U) On January 18, USAID/Haiti redirected more than USD 3.5
million from the Global Financial Crisis Haiti en Chantier project
for immediate earthquake response. The program will operate in
affected areas with an initial focus on Port-au-Prince and Petit
Go????ve. Activities include debris removal, rehabilitation of key
infrastructure, particularly roads, to facilitate relief efforts,
and re-establishing water and sanitation systems.
MERTEN
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