OCHA - SANDY SITUATION REPORT #2

TS SANDY (IMPACT) SITUATION REPORT #2 - (as of 26/10/2012)

This report is produced by OCHA Haiti in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 25 to 26/10/2012.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Red Alert (highest level) in force all over the country.

- Third day of heavy rains, predicted to continue until Saturday.

- Damage assessments ongoing, but hampered by bad weather and poor nature of roads.

- Flooding: All the rivers in southern Haiti have burst their banks resulting in damage to farms, homes and infrastructure.

- Casualty figures: 29 confirmed deaths; 08 wounded; and 04 missing

- Evacuations: 18,796 people evacuated to 136 emergency shelters

- 5,981 affected families

-  Houses: 1,811 flooded; 1,885 destroyed; 2,089 damaged.

- GoH has disbursed 897,443 USD in emergency funds for response to TS Sandy

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Heavy rains:  TS Sandy’s trail continued to batter Haiti today. In the past three days, the Sud department, for example, has received almost 300mm of rain. The hardest-hit areas could span anywhere from the coastal southern peninsula up to Artibonite and the northern departments. The Government of Haiti (GoH) is maintaining a red alert (highest level) on the whole country as continuing rains are expected over the today and tomorrow.

So far, the impact of the rains and strong winds earlier has been devastating. At least 29 storm-related deaths have been reported (Sud 12, Ouest 09, Grande-Anse 04, Nord-ouest 02, Nippes 02).

All rivers in the southern peninsula are swollen and most have burst their banks and flooded low lying areas. Reports from the field speak of significant flooding in the Ouest (metropolitan Port-au-Prince), Nord, Artibonite and the southern departments. Several roads, bridges have been affected and some communes (Gantier, Ouest) have been cut off due to lack of access.

The most affected departments include Ouest (Tabarre, Fond Verettes, Leogane, Anse-à-Galets, Gantier); Sud Port-Salut, Cayes, Tiburon, Port à Piments, St Louis du Sud, Cavaillon and Anglais), Grande-Anse (Dame Marie, Anse d’Hainaut, Roseau, lles Cayemithes, Pestel), Nippes (Baradères, Miragoane), Sud-est (Mapou); and Artibonite (Grande Saline, La Chapelle, Verettes). Gantier has been cut off from the rest of the country after the access bridge was swept away.

There are reports of extensive damage to agriculture, livestock and fisheries. Many fishing boats have either sunk or swept out to sea.

The government’s civil protection teams, supported by the humanitarian community (UN agencies, MINUSTAH, NGOs, IFRC) have been deployed at all levels and are providing support for evacuations in high risk areas while conducting damage assessments and evaluating urgent response needs. Some shelters (Fond Verettes, Ouest) have exceeded their holding capacities as a result of growing evacuations.

So far, 17,742 people have been evacuated to 131 shelters nationwide. Demand for shelters is growing.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

CAMP COORDINATION AND CAMP MANAGEMENT

Preliminary damage assessments conducted in 209 camps, indicate that 84 of these, hosting 5697 families, suffered some damage. Verification of these findings is ongoing with cluster partners. Distribution of 900 tents in 3 camps is ongoing in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs.

IOM conducted evacuation operations in support of the GoH and the Haitian Red Cross, with food assistance provided by the UN World Food Program.

During the evacuations, the IOM health team identified 343 vulnerable health cases, including pregnant and lactating mothers, children under five, elderly persons and handicapped individuals.

The Haitian Red Cross (CRH) mobilized volunteers to help Civil Protection authorities and IOM evacuate families across the country, especially from 12 highest risk camps in Port-au-Prince. Thirty eight 38 volunteers trained in psychosocial support have been deployed in emergency shelters to provide support to evacuees.

IFRC trucks with loudspeakers broadcast messages in the camps and sent SMS messages across the country. Their emergency phone “telefon kwawouj” has so far received more than 7,000 calls from the public, seeking advice and information on shelters.

Water treatment equipment and potable water are available to meet the needs of fifteen thousand (15, 000) families.

3,433 NFIs have been distributed to evacuation centers in Les Cayes and Port-au-Prince.

HEALTH

The cholera epidemic remains stable. However, there are reports of new cases in some camps in metropolitan Port-au-Prince. The situation in Gonaive appears stable. Cluster partners are concerned about the probability of an upsurge in the coming days.

Distribution of cholera prevention kits is planned in 30 camps. Pre-positioned cholera response stocks are available at thirteen (13) regional branches of the Haitian Red Cross. These include: Oral Rehydration Salts (260,000), gloves (13,000), soap (19,500 tablets), Aquatabs (2,260,000 for 15,000 families), 6,500 plastic buckets, 650 jerry cans and 650 body bags.

SHELTER

The Ministry of National Education has made available 17 school premises to serve as temporary shelters during the crisis. Several temporary shelters identified before the storm are also being used to accommodate evacuees.

LOGISTICS

WFF carried a total of 2.95 MT of food distribution via IOM in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan area (2.74 MT) and via WFP in Jacmel/Sud-Est Department (0.21 MT). Under supervision of IOM and WF, high energy biscuits (HEBs) have been distributed in partnership with the Haitian Red Cross and the Direction de la protection civile.

Distribution is planned, after coordination with DPC and cooperating partners, to 1,025 people in Artibonite Department (temporary shelters in Verrettes, Grande Saline and Desdunes) and 5,000 people in Sud and Grand’Anse departments.

The distribution will continue in Gonaive on Saturday of 0.41 MT of biscuits/NFIs. 5MT have been earmarked for Les Cayes.

WFP has 20.253 MT (mixed), of which 75.31 MT are biscuits, in its warehouses.

For further information, please contact:

George Ngwa, Chief, Communication section, ngwaanuongong@un.org

Widlyn Dornevil, Public information officer, elien@un.org5182

Rachelle Elien, Public information officer

Guillaume Shneiter, reporting officer, shneiterg@un.org

OCHA humanitarian bulletins are available at http://haiti.humanitarianresponse.info/
 www.nocha.org  ;| www.reliefweb.int

General Coordination The US Coast Guard launched a HC-144 fixed wing aircraft today for a reconnaissance flight along the north coast and then south coast of Hispaniola. Along the south, they are focusing on the area from Les Cayes to Jacmel.

UNPOL ensured security during the evacuation of people in St Philomene at Cazeau, Partners on the ground included; PNH, Red Cross, Protection Civile, Pompiers de Tabarre. UNPOL is also supporting PNH at the DPC, where crowds of angry people gathered on Saturday.

UNOPS and UNEP are jointly carrying out assessments of the southern coast.

Coordination meetings are underway to discuss the deployment of assessment missions that will take place over the weekend, as soon as weather permits.

The ICC group met to assess its response to the impact of TS Sandy.