NATIONS UNIESBureau de la Coordination des AffairesHumanitaires( OCHA )

UNITED NATIONSOffice for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA)

SITUATION REPORT # 13

HAITI: Tropical Storm Hanna, Gustav, Ike update17 September 2008

General Situation

The situation continues to improve with a steady increase in the distribution of food andnon-food items, particularly in the city of Gonaives. Assessments are being completed in affectedareas with limited access so far, including areas in the departments of Artibonite, Nippes and theSoutheast. Coordination with the government and within the international assistance communitycontinues to improve, with the strengthening of the clusters.

A key challenge is the provision of adequate assistance to people in temporary shelters and theplanning of future steps for them. With the start of the school year early October, it will becomeurgent to free schools that are currently used as shelters. The dialogue with the government andthe affected communities focuses on defining the appropriate policy, including options fortemporary or semi-permanent shelters. An analysis of conditions in places of origin and theidentification of possible options for resettlement are being discussed in meetings withgovernment.

Another important challenge is the need to continue focusing on early recovery activities inparallel with life-saving relief operations. Efforts to ensure access to affected population, tostrengthen the temporary dykes of the river passing through Gonaives, the removal of debris/mudand immediate measures to address irrigation systems are becoming critical. In particular, thehumanitarian community is emphasizing its concern about the fact that the lack of repairoperations on bridges and roads is hampering life-saving relief operations.

The extreme vulnerability at this stage of populations in affected regions three months before theend of the season constitutes the biggest concern of all. Heavy rains could produce disastrousconsequences given the fact that coping mechanisms of populations are already stretched and thatthe environmental degradation is very high.

The Ministry of Finance announced the suspension for a three month period (renewable) of somecustoms clearance formalities for food and non-food humanitarian assistance, as well as theestablishment of special crisis management cells in all customs offices.

Friday, a presentation in Haiti will be made jointly by the government and the UN system of the Flash Appeal.

Global Response

Sectoral/ Cluster coordination

The following coordination structure is currently operational in Haiti:

Sector/cluster Governmentalinstitutions

Lead agency (UNand partners)

Agriculture MARNDR FAOCoordination and support services MPCE OCHAEarly recovery MPCE UNDPEducation MEFP UNICEFFood assistance CNSA WFPHealth MSPP PAHO/WHOLogistics

WFP

Protection

UNICEF

Shelter and Non-food items MAST/DPC IOMWater and sanitation DPSPE/MSPP UNICEF

Within MINUSTAH, the Emergency Joint Operations Centre (EJOC) has completed its tasks.Clusters have now fully taken over the residual functions in terms of mobilizing mission assets.

Information by sector/cluster

Food

Relief response to date:

- Beneficiaries reached: 245,311 persons

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- Tonnage distributed: 1,042MT

Food assistance needs have been identified in Port de Paix and WFP is distributing today some5,9MT of food assistance to 200 families in St-Louis du Nord in collaboration with DPC andCaritas. Some 100MT of food commodities are also being sent by boat from WFP stocks in CapHaitien for distributions in Port de Paix.

In the department of Sud, 24,000 families have been identified as being in need of WFP foodassistance following the joint WFP/CSNA/partners mission, carried out over the past weekend.Food deliveries and distributions are being planned accordingly with Caritas and DPC.

Under the new special air operation, WFP has contracted a Ukrainian crew of 20 pilots and fourMA8 helicopters to facilitate food deliveries. They are expected to arrive this week.

Gonaives:

Distributions are being ramped up in Gonaives with two distributions per day (one at night, oneduring the night). With regard to stock replenishment a local barge has left Port au Prince todaywith 20 containers of WFP food and non-food-items from agency partners. In addition, 100MT ofbeans are being sent from Cap Haitien on boat to Gonaives.

With rain still coming down, the people in Gonaives are having difficulties shoring up the banksof the river which keeps flooding. WFP has requested 200,000 sand bags from the US Army to tryto strengthen the defense of the river.

To date, WFP has distributed 316MT of food assistance (including 27MT of HEB) to some151,590 beneficiaries in Gonaives.

The WFP ICT team has now set up a VHF radio channel with interagency funds that is used by theUN. An operational interagency radioroom and cybercafé are now in place in Gonaives.

WFP and local NGOs are working to launch a website with a Google map pinpointing whereshelters and food distribution points are in the region as well as other relevant information.

Assessments and missions

WFP together with CNSA is carrying out an urban assessment in Port-au-Prince on high foodprices. The methodology includes interviews with traders and street food vendors (results expectedby end September). In addition, WFP and CNSA are conducting a household level survey inPort-au-Prince on high food prices (results expected by end October). Furthermore, an EmergencyFood Security Assessment is being conducted throughout the country in collaboration with CNSAon the impact of the storms and hurricanes on food security and the agricultural sector.

WFP staff have sent monitors to supervise ongoing food distributions in the departments ofArtibonite, Ouest, Nippes, Sud, Sud-est and Nord-ouest. These missions allow WFP to coordinatewith partners on the ground as well as monitor the food arrivals and distributions.

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Table: WFP response to date (17 Sep 08 12:00) – beneficiaries, tonnage, costs

Bénéficiaires Tonnage Coût pour lePAM

$1,356,536

245,311 1,042 MT Distribution

Départements Bénéficiaires Tonnage(Vivres + HEB)

HEBseulement

Ouest 14,505 44 MT 6 MTPort-au-Prince

150 0.2 MT 0.2 MT

Grand Goave 2,050 2.2 MT 1.5 MTPetit Goave 4,095 3.3 MT 3.3 MTLeogane 1,860 1.5 MT 0.7 MTCabaret 6,350 37.3 MT 0.0 MTNord 0 0 MT 0 MTNord-est 0 0 MT 0 MTNord-ouest 8,789 92 MT 1 MTPort-de-Paix 7,825 90.2 MT 0.5 MTChansolme 964 1.9 MT 0.0 MTArtibonite 170,521 365 MT 35 MTGonaïves 151,590 315.6 MT 26.7 MTEnnery 3,845 3.8 MT 3.8 MTSaint Marc 11,936 22.8 MT 4.0 MTCentre 0 0 MT 0 MTSud 9,110 68 MT 0 MTCayes 9,110 67.6 MT 0.0 MTSud-est 34,691 428 MT 5 MTJacmel 29,164 372.3 MT 4.6 MTCayes Jacmel 1,912 15.7 MT 0.2 MTBainet 335 5.0 MT 0.0 MTMarigot 3,280 34.5 MT 0.0 MTGrand-anse 2,908 21 MT 0 MTJérémie 2,908 21.5MT 0.0MTNippes 4,787 24 MT 0 MTMiragoane 4,787 23.8 MT 0.0 MTTOTAL 245,311 1,042 46

In the South, CARITAS continues distributions of WFP food. Chardonniere, Les Anglais andTiburon have received 105 MT of food delivered by a Canadian ship.

Nutrition

There are no major concerns about the nutritional situation in Gonaives as food distributions are

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reaching the whole population. It is however recommended to make an assessment of childrenunder five (using MUAC) in all temporary shelters to identified at risk cases to be able to takeaction.

MDM-Suisse from Grand Goave has reported that WFP food has not reached this isolated areathat has been affected by the hurricane, neither with the regular program nor with emergencyprograms. There is an important concern about the nutritional status of this population (1,000people). MDM-Suisse is doing an assessment to identify at-risk cases.

Partners are actively doing rapid assessments on the nutritional status of children under five butfor the moment there are no figures. Lack of partners and human resources prevent from having agood coverage particularly in the temporary shelters.

MSPP is committed to involve reference hospitals in the 10 departments and the personnel incharge of nutritional recovery. UNICEF and partners will provide technical assistance.

The challenge is the lack of partners working in the nutrition sector as well as the absence ofpartners in the South East and Nippes.

Priorities are: the South (covered by Terres des Hommes), South East, Nippes, (No assessmentplan for the moment). Other areas will be prioritized according to assessments.

UNICEF has distributed, through its partners, therapeutic milk for 500 malnourished children inthe West, South and Grand’Anse Departments. This distribution aims to reinforce the capacity ofthe nutritional units already in place to face an expected increase of acute cases.

6,000 children will also benefit from Oral Rehydration Salts and high protein biscuits. Highprotein biscuits are distributed for the moment only through partners targeting children under fiveand breastfeeding and pregnant women.

Assistance in the pipeline: in Gonaives, the plan is to coordinate with the Direction Sanitaire del’Artibonite and MSF-Belgique to find human resources and organize the distribution ofsupplementary food for most-at-risk groups, and to continue reinforcing nutritional units already inplace.

Assessments to take place: in Fonds de Blanc, Cité Soleil, Grand Goave, Gonaive, Bas Artibonite.In the South (South west coast) an assessment has been done but results are not available yet.

Shelter and non-food items

All shelters were closed in Les Cayes yesterday. Those sent home will be given a monthly dryfood ration. No remaining homeless in the shelters for the department.

In Nippes, there are 10 shelters still operational totaling 549 people. Most are those living aroundl'Etang de Miragoane.

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In Grande Anse, a number of 75 families are homeless due to their house being destroyed andshelters officially closed since last week.

In Gonaives, the hygienic situation at some of the temporary centres is of great concern. At ameeting organized by the UNDAC Team with participation of the Representative of mayor ofGonaives, the Delegue Departemental of Artibonite, representatives from the education board,DPC, UNICEF, IOM, WHO OXFAM took place yesterday afternoon. The authorities stated thatthe repair works of the dikes along the river is of essential priority, to prevent further flooding andsecondly is the cleaning of the city from mud and debris. Both programs could be organizedthrough cash/food for work programs, supported with general distribution of material to thepopulation, which would enable them to start cleaning of private houses. This work would allow anumber of persons to return to their houses which would lower the needs for public shelters.

The delegue departemental of Artibonite estimated that more than 50% of the people staying intemporarily shelters would return home as soon as access permitted, but they would requirematerial for the cleaning of their houses

It was agreed that people who had no house to return to, should be offered shelter of adequatequality. There is pressure to close the shelter in schools, while the school year will be startingshortly.

For tomorrow IOM is scheduled to load 400 kitchen kits, 390 plastic sheets and 600 hygiene kitsto Gonaives. Transport is organized by WFP and the cargo will be escorted by MINUSTAH.

Shelter assessments are ongoing in Gonaives. Equally the assessment of the extent of the damageto buildings and houses is supported by the team working in Gonaives.

The organization SAMARITAN'S PURSE is currently undertaking assessments in the North Westand will report their finding in the cluster meeting on Thursday 18.

The sanitary conditions are rapidly deteriorating in the shelters in Gonaives with many emergingskin infections and water borne diseases caused by the absence of an adequate sewage system andwaste disposal system.

Information gathered from organizations in the field indicates that the numbers of people inshelters elsewhere in the country is decreasing. However access to several places is still notpossible and though water levels have receded, many struggle with a considerable damage to theprivate homes caused by mud and debris.

Health

In Gonaives, partners in the health cluster are in average facilitating a total of 1,000 consultationsper day. There is currently a shortage of bandages and PSF has been requested to take the lead inidentifying channels for provision of further material.

The MSF field hospital should, according to plan, be arriving in Gonaives this morning, and

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should be fully operational within the next days.

Education

The school start, which will take place on October 6th, poses major challenges for the sector.Many infrastructures have been destroyed, damaged or have seen loss in material and furniture.Many families and children have lost everything and will not be able to afford school costs.Furthermore, many schools are used as temporary shelters.

There have been partial assessments conducted by the Ministry of education. At least seven out often departments have seen assessments. Preliminary assessments have been made by someorganizations in the field and information is shared and coordinated with the Ministry ofeducation. Decision-making requires more detailed assessments. Estimates and analysis of thenumber of children affected is needed as well as information on regions not yet accessible, andfinancing according to identified needs should be provided.

Immediate priorities (before October 6th):- Disengagement of schools used as shelters- Installation of temporary schools or education activities- School furniture, school kits- Cleaning and minor rehabilitations

Medium and long term priorities:- Rehabilitation of school and watsan infrastructure- Rebuilding of school rooms or destroyed schools

Bottlenecks are:

- The lack of availability of some partners to ensure better coordination and sharing ofinformation in intervention zones.

- Lack of precise information on children affected and damage- Difficulty to make intervention priorities due to lack of precise information

Logistics

The stock of non food items in Gonaives is running short. Additional supplies of NFI is planned toarrive in Gonaives. WFP requested the receiving organisations to organise immediate distribution,while there is not enough capacity for storage at the warehouse.

The WFP Emergency radio room has now been established at the MINUSTAH base offering tofacilitate the radio communication of the agencies in the area. Staff members deployed to the areashould be issued with a VHF radio, which can be programmed to fit the network at the radio room.

In the logistics cluster meeting, the point was made that it is essential to inform the cluster of allvessel movements to Gonaives for coordination purposes in order to avoid congestion.7

Next meeting will take place on Monday at 11:00.

For more information, see the logistics cluster webpage on Haiti: http://www.logcluster.org

Water and Sanitation

Assistance continues to reach the field (jerrycans, water purification tablets, hygiene kits, etc.).

In Gonaives, the daily production of drinking water has now reached a total of 215,000 l/day andplan to receive 500,000 l pr day is still on target. The cluster partners have in cooperation with theOSOCC organized mapping of all water distribution point in Gonaives which now is available atthe OSOCC. The activities in the cluster are coordinated with SNEP (The water board ofGonaives)

OXFAM, MSF and ACF in cooperation with the local authorities initiate a sanitation program incity aiming at providing adequate sanitation facilities to the affected population.

WFP has now a water engineer on-site, who will be able to assist the partners in the WASHcluster.

In the rest of the country, the departments of the South and South-East seem to have been the mostaffected. Access is still very limited in some communes such as: Tiburon, Les Anglais,Port-à-Piment, Coteaux, Roches à Bateau, etc. Drinking water and NFIs will be sent this week.

Priority areas are Artibonite, South-East, South and West. Priority activities are the rehabilitationof damaged infrastructure, watsan interventions in destroyed and damaged schools,communication on hygiene and health and intersectoral interventions.

In South-East, a group in Marigot (GRAP/M) reports that all the irrigation and drinking watersystems are destroyed in the commune of Marigot.

Assessments

A UNDAC-DPC-OPS-Terres des Hommes-Caritas-World Vision-MDMFrance-IOM-MINUSTAH HDCS joint assessment in Les Cayes did not observe any majordamage to crops. Nevertheless, the limited stocks available combined with the increase in foodprices might trigger a progressive food shortage until the next harvest season. The areas assessedin the department were: from Port Salut to Port a Piment, Camp Perrin direction Maniche, St Louisdu Sud, Fonds de Blancs)

A UNDAC-DPC-FACT joint assessment took place yesterday in Nippes. The team was composedof an engineer from the Government’s Civil Protection, three members of FACT, one UNDACand one HDCS-Minustah. The mission flew by helicopter over the city of Miragoane and over thecoastal communes of Petite Rivière de Nippes, Anse-a-Veau and Petit Trou de Nippes. Afterwardsthe team met with the Departmental Delegate.

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The critical need is to re-open road communications to the four departments of the Southernpeninsula. The mission saw that the bridge at the entry to Miragoane is completely submerged bywater from the Miragoane lake. An in-depth assessment mission of the European Commission’sMonitoring and Information Centre is taking place today at the lake.

The Delegate said that WFP has provided food and high-energy biscuits but more assistance isneeded in terms of food, water purification, hygiene kits, kitchen sets and blankets. He said thereare currently 136 families still in temporary shelters, 127 of which are in the 1st section ofMiragoane. Tropical Storm Gustav caused the majority of damage and agriculture is thehardest-hit sector together with a significant loss of livestock.

As of today there are four inaccessible communes in Nippes – Plaisance and L’Asile (road repairsare underway) and the coastal communes of Anse-a-Veau and Petit Trou de Nippes due to highriver level.

There are 2800 affected families in Nippes.

As a result of this evaluation, the German Red Cross will target 500 families with family kits(hygiene kits, kitchen sets, blankets and moskito nets). The Canadian and German Red Cross arealso seeking to provide additional family kits.

The Haitian Red Cross has distributed 200 hygiene kits in Anse-à-Veau and 100 hygiene kits and100 mosquito nets in Petit Trou de Nippes. These stocks were prepositioned by the Canadian RedCross.

Also in Nippes, a team composed of DDAST / HRC / DDEnvironment / HDCS conducted a fieldmission to Barradere yesterday accessible since early last week. A number of 192 food rationpacks from Fondation l'Espoir were distributed. Reported that the water system was damaged andthe population is purifying the water with tabs / Clorox. The Northern area of the town isinaccessible due to road being damaged. The mission did not investigate the health situation saidto that this section is under the jurisdiction of Sud department.

A UNDAC-DPC-FACT joint assessment was carried out today in three communes of Artibonite (Saint-Michel, L’Estere, Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite). In the Southern part of Artibonite, inlandthere is some damage to crops but no immediate threats to life. In L’Estere, fields are still flooded,meaning sever damage to crops.

Road Conditions

Artibonite: The road between PAP and Gonaives is reopened. Two MINUSTAH trucks managedto make the trip in five hours today.

South: Access by road is now possible to Les Anglais. Tiburon will remain inaccessible due to adestroyed bridge.

Nippes: The bridge a l’Etang de Miragoane is passable with difficulty by heavy trucks. The TPTC

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is looking into ways to clear the debris obstructing the evacuation of water. A deviation of the roadis being looked into. Demonstrations are held today in Chalon on Rt Nat'l #2 to pressure the GoHto tend to this issue ASAP.

Grande Anse: Only Carcasse in Les Irois is inaccessible by road. All other areas said to beaccessible now.

Security

International staff working in Gonaives is allowed to find private accommodation outside theMINUSTAH camp but are required to be equipped with VHF radio, participation in the dailysecurity call check and to have an emergency food ration at their location. It was further stated thatthe organisations hiring local staff need to organise badges for these staff member in order forthem to be identifiable when entering the camp.

It should further be noted, that staff deployed to Gonaives should be self-sufficient, while theinflux of humanitarian workers is placing a heavy burden on the MINUSTAH facilities.Identification of more permanent solutions for office and accommodation should be considered bythe agencies.

Inputs for the situation report can be sent to:

Laura Fultang, UNOCHA, fultangl@un.org

For further information, please contact:

Port au Prince: Manuela Gonzalez, UNOCHA, gonzalez8@un.org, Tel : +509 347 86 151

Gonaives: René Wagemans, UNDAC Team Leader, Tel: +509 3649-2472

Reports and maps about the situation in Haiti can be found on: http://ochaonline.un.org/haiti

MapAction page on Haiti:http://www.mapaction.org/component/option,com_docman/task,cat_view/gid,164/Itemid,53/

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