Balance Requested from ACT Network: US$ 1,405,388

Heavy floods and landslides of mud and rock avalanched down across mountain sides caused by torrential rains quietly in the middle of the night and early morning on May 24^th 2004 and taking entire villages in its path in the southern region of Haiti and the bordering Dominican Republic. In Haiti only, landslides have destroyed over 1,698 houses and another 1,687 have been damaged. Cisterns and local water sources have been damaged as well, and there are concerns for potable water in the area. Road-ways have been destroyed and access to affected areas is very difficult, sometimes only available by foot, mules and helicopter. The main damages occurred in the west (Comune de Fonds Verrettes) & south-east (Belle Anse District) Provinces of Haiti. The economic damage has not been calculated but is likely to be many millions (after Hurricane Georges, where many fewer people died, USAID estimated that $180 million was lost - a figure equivalent to 12% of the country’s GNP). This disaster has increased the already precarious situation of Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, that has been ravaged by a political turmoil at the beginning of the year.

• food, clothing, medicines and basic survival kits

• Food and livelihood security: Seeds, tools and fertilisers; livestock provision; small business

• Cash for work to rehabilitate basic community infrastructure and housing

• Disaster preparedness and awareness raising and advocacy activities

Signed by:

Thor-Arne Prois