In Haiti, Emergency Aid Helps Ease Suffering Caused by Sandy

As the people of Haiti suffer from yet another crisis in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, AmeriCares Haiti has been working nonstop with partners in stricken areas to deliver urgent life-saving support.The October 24 storm caused heavy rains, massive flooding and landslides that destroyed more than 6,200 homes, devastated crops, and left significant regions of the country completely cut off for weeks. Cholera cases have risen considerably: nearly 3,600 cases and 39 deaths have been recorded from October 31 through November 8. More than 1.5 million people are affected by heightened food insecurity due in part to hurricane-related crop and infrastructure damage.Throughout the crisis, AmeriCares Haiti has been delivering cholera supplies and other emergency aid, and issuing grants to help families in stricken communities, including:

• $17,000 in emergency grants: to partners including Hope for Haiti and Haitian Health Foundation for purchase and distribution of emergency food for people in flood-ravaged villages, emergency kits, as well as assistance to help continue ambulance and maternal health services.
• 16 shipments totaling 31,000 pounds of emergency medical aid: Shipments include crucial cholera treatment supplies, medicines and medical supplies, technical support, water treatment and storage, personal care and hygiene kits sent to partner hospitals, health care and community organizations.

In total, AmeriCares Haiti Hurricane Sandy response includes:

• 26,400 liters of solution for oral rehydration
• Storage for 17,109 liters of water
• 450 pounds of granular chlorine (enough to treat up to an estimated 54.4 million liters of water)
• Treatment tabs for 6.3 million liters of water

Haiti is especially vulnerable to flood disasters due to ramshackle housing, flood-prone hillsides, along with the fact that 370,000 people still live in emergency shelters after the 2010 earthquake.