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Haiti

Haiti: Hurricane Irma (MDRHT014) DREF Operation Update No.1

Attachments

A. Situation analysis   

Description of the disaster   

Hurricane Irma impacted Haiti on the evening of 7 September 2017 into the early hours of 8 September. The eye of the hurricane passed north-east of the coastline of the country, creating storm surges on the north coast and wind and flood damage to vulnerable communities. The storm mainly impacted Haiti’s three northern departments.   

Summary of the current response

Overview of Host National Society

In anticipation of direct impact from Hurricane Irma, the Haiti Red Cross Society has activated its internal disaster response protocols in coordination with the activation of the national disaster response system, in six departments. Additionally, the Haiti Red Cross Society pre-deployed staff into the field, 8 vehicles and mobilized 120 volunteers to conduct sensitization/alerts and assist in evacuations in four departments (Grand Anse, Nord, Nord Ouest and Nord Est) before the passage of Hurricane Irma, and it pre-positioned hygiene kits, jerry cans, long-lasting insecticide treated [mosquito] nets (LLITNs) and tarpaulins before 8 September 2017 in the communes of Port de Paix, Cap Haitien and Fort Libertie for the families displaced by Hurricane Irma. HRCS volunteers worked before the passage of Hurricane Irma to sensitize the community on preparedness actions, and it also worked closely with the DPC to assist with the evacuations of vulnerable people to identified collective centres. After the passage of the Hurricane, HRCS volunteers began conducting damage assessments in the different communes of the Nord, Nord Ouest and Nord Est departments on 8 September 2017; the assessments continued until 13 September 2017; the data gathered thus far indicates that the heavy winds and subsequent flooding affected 3,838 families, and HRCS volunteers also carried out joint assessments with the DPC in the Nord Ouest department (including Port de Paix, St. Louis de Nord, Anse-a-Foleur, Jean Rabel, Baie-de-Henne, Detipotpe, Ile de la Tortue, Bassin Blue, Chansolme, Mole St. Nicolas) and Nord Est department (Caracol, Ferrier, Ouanaminthe, Fort Libertie), which were supported by the American Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross and the IFRC. To date, 188 families have been assisted with non-food items (NFIs) from the pre-positioned stocks.

Overview of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in country

The IFRC has a cluster office located in Port-au-Prince and following Partner National; Societies (PNSs) have a physical presence in country; the French Red Cross, American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross Society, Swiss Red Cross, Spanish Red Cross, Italian Red Cross, German Red Cross and Netherlands Red Cross. The IFRC’s ARO in Panama has been remotely supporting the country cluster office and the National Society.

Movement Coordination

The IFRC and HRCS initiated Movement coordination meetings on 1 September 2017, and they have had three meetings since that day; additionally, Movement partners have shared data on available stock and equipment. The German, French and American National Societies have pre-positioned relief items in the Nord Ouest and Nord departments for 100 and 300 families, respectively.
In response to the rapidly developing weather phenomenon, the regional office for the Americas (ARO) declared an Alert II on 31 August 201, and coordination among the HRCS, the IFRC country cluster and ARO was established that same day.

ARO developed a Dashboard to monitor the storm’s progress. One DM was pre-deployed to Nord Est, and supported the HRC regional committee and volunteers to carry out the preliminary assessments after the passage of Hurricane Irma.

Overview of non-RCRC actors in country

The Permanent Secretariat for Risk and Disaster Management (SPGRD) has activated the country’s national Disaster response system, and the northern part of the country was under a Hurricane Warning, with the expected impact to be evening of Thursday 7; in addition, the government have conducted awareness campaigns through media, mobile operators and community networks. UN-OCHA has initiated coordination meetings, and the National Emergency Operation Centre (COUN for its acronym in French) has been activated. The MSPP mobilized mobile cholera response teams in the northern departments, and 601 collective centres are available to shelter people. Lastly, the Ministry of Finance has made 2,000,000 gourdes (CHF 30,305.74) available per department for the initial response interventions. Since the passing of Hurricane Irma, the DPC in the northern departments have been coordinating joint assessments with partners.