ACT Alert - Update

Haiti - 2/2004

Tropical Storm Jeanne

Geneva, 22 September, 2004

Following in the wake of tropical storm Jeanne, heavy rains and raging flood waters have caused extensive flooding in the northern area of Hispaniola Island which comprises the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The country most affected by this storm in the Caribbean was Haiti, where two days of lashing rains caused massive flooding in the northern part of the country. According to the latest reports from the United Nations, the most affected areas are the towns of Gonaïves, Port-de-Paix, Cap Haitien and its surroundings. In Gonaïves it is estimated than 4,000 houses have been totally destroyed and some 20,000 people are homeless. All the agricultural lands, upon which the population depends for sustenance, are totally inundated.

ACT members in Haiti - Christian Aid (CAID), Diakonie Emergency Aid (DEA), Fédération Protestante d'Haiti (FPH), Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Service Chrétien d'Haiti (SCH) report that the water is receding and access to Gonaïve by road is now possible. Cap Haitien is still inaccessible as a major part of the road is still under water. ACT members in Haiti have sent an assessment team to Gonaïves to contact their partners there and assess the situation. The most urgent needs reported are food, potable water, temporary shelter and medicines. ACT members, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Diakonie (DEA) have already deployed emergency staff to Haiti, who are assisting ACT members in the first assessment mission.

Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) will send two water purification units by the end of the week. They will also send a water and sanitation engineer to assist the communities in the installation of the units and provide training. NCA will apply for resources from the Norwegian Government to assist ACT members in Haiti with the emergency response. Church World Service (CWS) will send a container of medical equipment.

Church of Sweden (CSA), Finchurchaid (FCA) and ACT Netherlands/ICCO have announced their commitment to supporting the forthcoming ACT appeal. The German Embassy in Haiti has also pledged support to the activities of ACT members. Based on the first assessment that is currently being finalised, the ACT CO will send Rapid Response Funds to support the initial activities.

In the Dominican Republic, the Social Service of the Churches (SSID) report that they have deployed a needs assessment team to the affected areas.