Hurricane Matthew

Port-au-Prince/Les Cayes. In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the scale of the disaster in Haiti is slowly becoming clear. In many areas located in the south of the country numerous families have lost their homes. The otherwise rudimentary housing structures were destroyed by the hurricane. “Now, using the most basic means available they are attempting to rebuild the homes” says Thomas Laackmann, Head of the assessment team from the humanitarian aid division of the BRH - Bundesverband Rettungshunde e.V. - and the Duisburg-based aid organisation I.S.A.R. Germany.

As has become clear during the team's assessment along the south coast of Haiti, the pace with which aid has been reaching those affected has been slow. In the meantime there have also been repeated protests among the people. Several street blockades have been established in recent days. Several regions were subsequently out of reach for the team. “The atmosphere is tense” reports Laackmann. People are desperate and they urgently need clean water and electricity, in addition to accommodation. Hospitals are also closed in part because they too have been cut off from the energy and water supply, and there are no medical supplies. Numerous schools were destroyed, and the sheer volume of rain has made the school material unusable. Information collected from the regions has now been submitted to the United Nations, with whom we are working closely. The UN is now coordinating aid efforts.

In order to reduce suffering, medicines are now being made available quickly, meaning that several hundred people can receive full medical care. These are being rapidly distributed by the partner organisation “Visionaires pour Des actions novatrices” (VAN) in the disaster area.