IHP supports the relief efforts in Haiti

Published: 13 October 2016

An IHP team of three staff members were rapidly mobilized on Wednesday to deploy to Haiti immediately after the request from UNOCHA. The team is tasked to start the preparations for the establishment of light office, accommodation and coordination facilities in the worst hit area of Jérémie, Haiti.

Hurricane (Tropical Storm) Matthew struck Haiti on October 4 with strong winds, powerful rain, and rising water levels. The hurricane has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes and cholera cases are increasing every day. Matthew was classified as Category Four (extremely dangerous) when it struck the Haitian coast with maximum continuous winds of approximately 230 km/h. Damage to infrastructure is great and among other things, an important bridge connecting Port-au-Prince and the cities of Les Cayes and Jérémie has been demolished.

IHP aims to provide office, accommodation and coordination facilities, including necessary services, with a capacity to host 35 humanitarian staff. The facilities are requested by OCHA for use by the humanitarian community in order to support the coordination and response efforts. WFP will facilitate the establishment and IHP has deployed an advance team of three staff members (2 from DEMA and 1 from MSB) to Port au Prince yesterday to rapidly initate the support. The the equipment and remaining team from IHP is currently being consolidated and will be deployed within a few days.

Several of the IHP members have also recently deployed experts to the EU Civil Protecion Team, the UNDAC-team as well as other UN-organisations.