SITUATION UPDATE
On 12 January at 16:53h local time (21:53h GMT) an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale (depth 10 km) hit a highly populated area in Ouest Province of Haiti (population 2.2 million), 17km south-west of Port-au-Prince (18.45N, 72.45W). Carrefour and Jacmel have also been affected.
On 15 Jan it was reported that the security situation in Port-au-Prince is volatile. Protests in the city over the humanitarian crisis highlight extreme travel risk. All travel to Haiti should be for essential purposes only.
INFRASTRUCTURE
AIRPORT status:
Port au Prince Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport
- The US Government has established temporary air traffic flow management procedures for flights into Port-au-Prince airport. All fixed-wing aircraft flying to Port-au-Prince are required to be on an active IFR flight plan and prior to departure obtain arrival slot times from the Haiti Operations Coordination Centre (Phone number: 001-850-283-5477). All operators are advised that fuel and other ground support services may be unavailable.
- The Logistics Cluster recommends that Santo Domingo is used as the primary entry point for humanitarian relief destined for Haiti, while Port au Prince airport is operating at diminished capacity.
SEAPORT status Port au Prince :
- Most recent port information is available
on the Logistics Cluster website:
http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/flash-news-15-january-2010
ROAD status (update from the WFP Regional Bureau in Panama):
- The main roads in Port-au-Prince are open, but the secondary roads are still blocked.
- The road from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince is becoming congested as much cargo is already moving. Transit time is reportedly up to 18 hrs.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
- Search and rescue; emergency health; water and sanitation; shelter; food; logistics and
telecommunications
- Access to fuel continues to be an issue.
RESPONSE
- The Logistics Cluster coordinator, together with two Logistics Cluster officers, arrived in Port-au-Prince on 15 Jan.
- The Logistics Cluster Information Management Officer is due to arrive in Port-au-Prince on 18 Jan.
- A Logistics Cluster Civil Military Liaison Officer is being deployed.
- Two UNHAS Mi-171 helicopters are being positioned and are expected to be operational from 25 Jan.
- UNHAS is establishing a passenger service from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince (Cessna Caravan 208 10 pax). The first flight will take place tomorrow, 17 Jan. Flight schedule and booking procedures are currently being set up and will be disseminated shortly.
- An early draft of a Concept of Operations (ConOps) has been circulated for comment. http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/Haiti _ConOps_Draft_for_comment_101015
- The Logistics Cluster fleet, managed by Handicap International will continue to provide tertiary transport services (6WD, all terrain trucks).
- WFP has taken steps to contract a fuel supply for the common logistics services to be provided by the Logistics Cluster.