Disaster

Major flooding in Haiti as thousands of families are affected.

Since May 8, 2016, several departments of Haiti, including the North, North West, North East, Artibonite, West, Central and Grand Anse have received heavy rainfall. The prolonged torrential rains that lasted over 24 hours have caused flooding and extensive damages to buildings, transport and livestock. The report of a landslide was received from the Morne Puilboreau on the side that faces the Artibonite Department. The river 'La Quinte' and Blockhaus (St. Marc) in the Lower Artibonite and the drains of Ceinture Biénac were reported to be flooded. Over 215 houses in the city of Baradère were affected. Traffic on the National #2 was disturbed. The Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities gave warning of persistent bad weather which could result saturated soils, increasing the risk of flooding, landslides and mudslides. A depression on the eastern part of Cuba has influenced the bad weather condition in the whole of the Caribbean region. During the first week of May, Haiti and the Dominican Republic have almost erased the deficit of water caused by drought conditions since the beginning of 2015, with vast flooding that has killed four people in Haiti and five people in the Dominican Republic and displaced thousands of others.

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Fire in Petion-Ville, Haiti - The fire started in the morning around 8:00 A.M in a market adjacent to the 'Cubano' where stocks of inflammable construction materials were stored and it spread very quickly to the other shops in the market, and to Cubano and another neighboring house. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be known, but it could be related to an electrical short circuit which came in contact with the flammable items stored in the warehouses of the market. Damages caused by the rapid fire are of considerable amount.

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Here is a picture of a Haitian woman being carried as her house in the North of the country, specifically in Cap-Haitian, is flooded.

Following the recent rain in last February, at least six people died in the town of Borgne, and thousands of people were affected in Cap-Haitien in the north. In the Northern coast, the heavy and prolonged rain occurred between 9 to 11 February 2016. The cities like Port-de-Paix and Cap-Haïtien, were severely affected, over 200 homes were damaged forcing families to leave their home. There was prior red alert (highest level) from the Civil Defence about the heavy rain in North Haiti which could cause flooding and landslide. Following the instructions of then Prime Minister Evans Paul, the North Emergency Centre (CUN) has distributed food, mattresses, sheets and hygienic kits to the victims.

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March 17, 2016 - a gas station in Hinche, in the Department Centre exploded and burned completely. Here is a collection of pictures of the incident. According to some witnesses, this incident took place while a truck transporting water came in to put in gas but left the pump without shotting it uf completely. Others mentioned the lighting of a cigarette.

Also there are non confirmed report that about seven people lost their lives in the fire and more than thirty injured.

We also learned that the city of Hince is not equiped with fire fighting station. The fire came under control after the population came in help

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Here is a picture of Non-profit Haiti Air Ambulance service which offers an emergency air medical service to the Haitian population by providing crisis medical airlifts to emergency centers to residents living in rural areas.

HAA does not require payment from those who can't afford it; it's only concern being the victim be transported as quickly, comfortably, and safely as possible, preventing the possibility of death.

HAA's business model focuses on jobs, training, and contributing support to H

Haiti is not new to devastating events, the likes of which can leave the country crippled in the immediate aftermath, as well as on a longer term. Just four years ago, the massive earthquake gave evidence of this. This month, the country's first helicopter service for emergency medical response became operational. The feat is thanks to the non-profit organization Ayiti Air Anbilans (AAA). Days ago the AAA flew their first patient, and after a visit from First Lady Sophia Martelly, they await the auspicious visit of the Head of State, President Michel Martelly.

The risk of offering medical services in Haiti, during a time of crises and during times of relative calm include geographical obstacles, equipment and the lack of emergency response. It is widely stated that many patients need not succumb but for a failure to get them care in time. The white, blue and red helicopters of the AAA strive to ameliorate this.

The fleet is equipped with modern equipment that can render critical care and even some surgery. On it will fly a trained medical staff that can offer vital triage in a bad situation, while the helicopter routes them to any one of the 15 waiting affiliate clinics. This exemplary, much needed service will be provided to patients, regardless of their ability to pay.

This project came out of the agreement with Air Methods Corporation (AMC) announced around the third anniversary of the 2010 earthquake. The agreement stated that the AMC would give two Bell 407 helicopters (one as primary and one as backup), three pilots and two mechanics. The AAA was to provide the medical equipment and the clinical staff.

Contact: 509 3166-8197 / (559) 475-8515

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Here are some Haitian masons receiving training on earthquake-resistant construction

On Wednesday, March 18, 2015, under a UNDP's (United Nations Development Program) earthquake prevention plan, the National Institute for Professional Training (INFP) and the Swiss Cooperation with financial assistance from the Fund for Reconstruction of Haiti (FRH), launched the Phase II Training Program of earthquake-resistant construction for 220 masons from the northern departments of the Northeast and Northwest. The program was initially launched in 2012 and so far a total of 37 engineers, both from public and private sectors and 24 foremen have been trained in earthquake-resistant construction with necessary knowledge on the seismic assessment of buildings so that they can prepare Haiti with safe and sustainable construction to avoid risk of future disasters.

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Here is the picture of a boat in the streets of Cap-Haitian following the flood in November, 2014

Cap-Haitien's downtown area was completely underwater, and the city's rivers and ravines overflowed their banks. The Cap-Haitien police patrolling the flood areas discovered many bodies of flood victims lying in the streets, including young children of only two or three years of age. In a heart-breaking discovery, an eight-member family lost four of its members to death. Three others went missing with the father recovering in hospital. Many more flood victims have yet to be confirmed because disaster conditions make it hard to navigate through the area.

Although the government of Haiti has responded with its resources, it cannot adequately meet the demands of all four departments that have sustained major damage from the swarm of storms that assaulted the North and West Departments, the North being the worst casualty, and Cap-Haitien the worst of all. Beon through the media implores ". . . the private sector to help us because it continues to rain."

Haiti and its neighbor, the Dominican Republic, survived a series of storms that rampaged across the island of Hispaniola, displacing thousands of people. The old colonial city of Cap-Haitien seemed to get the worst of it, according to Haiti's Civil Protection Agency, who reported an estimated 6,000 homes sustained flood damage, 66 of them completely ruined. Reports varied on the death toll, between five and seven dead, and one person missing. President Martelly and Prime Minister Lamothe performed their official duties, touring the disaster area while food and aid relief supplies were being handed out to flood survivors.

Residents in afflicted areas were anxious to retrieve whatever belongings they could from their water-swamped homes, wading through knee-high water. A reported 4,000 displaced survivors were sent to temporary shelters set up at unaffected schools nearby.

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Cap-Haitian is covered with water. Haiti Government Responds to Storm Devastation

A storm system pummeled Haiti where the North and West Departments in particular sustained major damage. At last count 8 people were reported dead, and 4,500 evacuated to shelters set up at local schools.

Communes of Cap-Haitien and Cabaret experienced flood conditions with some towns such as Blue Hills, Grand Riviere du Nord, Limonade, Limbé, and Bahon navigable only by boat. In Roi Henri, at Christophe University, the flood waters hampered students from getting to classes. Conditions in coastal areas have had the greatest impact economically with houses and gardens submerged beneath flood waters and livestock drowned.

In Cabaret the Government of Haiti under its National System of Risk Management and Disaster has distributed 4,000 hot meals, 1,000 food kits, and 200 cots. Equipment such as shovels and wheelbarrows, and water purification tablets are being handed out in the North Department.

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Here is a picture of cap-Haitian as it was flooded in November, 2014

Cap-Haitien Hard-Hit by Storm System

Farms suffered extensive damage from the storm. Agriculture officials have been out surveying the damage and its economic impact. So far an estimated damage report has not been submitted, according to the Civil Protection Agency in a statement to the media.

The government of Haiti has mobilized to respond to the crisis by generating its National System of Risk Management and Disaster. Not only in Cap-Haitien but in the entire North Department--which has been the hardest hit--officials have been distributing aid relief: food kits, hot meals, beds, sheets, water purification tablets, and more are going out. In all, four departments out of ten have suffered damage and population displacement

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The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) ensure that Haiti has
insurance coverage to limit the impact of catastrophic hurricanes and or earthquakes by providing to the Country a 2.57m in 2014

Caribbean Development Bank covers Haiti for Natural Disasters

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will pay Haiti's insurance premium to the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) for coverage period June 1, 2014 - May 31, 2015. CCRIF, an insurance fund used to mitigate damages caused by natural disasters, protects Caribbean countries. Funding was provided by Japan with contributions from international donors.

CDB Director Pierre-Louis thanked the CDB Board of Directors for the grant they approved at their meeting in Barbados on October 16, 2014.

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