VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0080/01 0240310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240308Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0055
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0250
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
INFO RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000080 
 
AIDAC 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA
SUBJECT: HAITI EARTHQUAKE: USAID/DART HUMANITARIAN SITUATION UPDATE 
 
REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0060; PORT A 0076 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  Despite U.N. and media reports noting that the 
Government of Haiti (GoH) declared the end of the search and rescue 
phase on January 22, urban search and rescue (USAR) teams responded 
to a request for assistance that resulted in a live rescue on 
January 23.  On January 22, the GoH revised the death toll to more 
than 111,400 people.  The GoH reported that 609,000 people remained 
displaced in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area alone.  Numbers 
of population receiving assistance continue to increase, including 
in the priority sectors of food assistance, water, and shelter.  To 
date, USAID has contributed nearly USD180 million in earthquake 
response funding.  End summary. 
 
 
 
---------------------------- 
 
SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  (U) According to the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination 
(UNDAC) Team, the GoH announced the end of the search and rescue 
phase at 1600 hours local time on January 22.  However, the GoH 
subsequently told the U.S. Embassy that it has not terminated 
search and rescue operations.  UNDAC reports that between January 
13 and 21, international urban search and rescue teams (USAR) 
rescued 132 people in total, of which 47 were by U.S. USAR teams. 
According to international media reports, on January 22, an 
84-year-old Haitian female was rescued by family and friends and a 
21-year-old Haitian male was rescued by an Israeli USAR team. On 
January 23, a French USAR team, with assistance from a Greek and 
two U.S. USAR teams, rescued a 22-year-old Haitian male from the 
rubble of the Napoli Hotel in downtown Port-au-Prince - 11 days 
after the earthquake. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (U) The number of international USAR teams has significantly 
decreased but USAID staff cannot confirm the number of 
international teams that currently remain in-country.  The six U.S. 
USAR teams have begun demobilizing.  In coordination with the GoH 
and local fire authorities, U.S. USAR teams will leave behind a 
significant cache of equipment for donation to Haitian first 
responders, and 15 U.S. USAR staff members, including six 
structural engineers, will remain in-country to train Haitian first 
responders in the use of the donated equipment and provide 
technical assistance on structural assessments and stabilization 
efforts. 
 
 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
LATEST ESTIMATES of DEATH AND DISPLACMENT 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) Efforts to account for the dead and displaced resulting 
from the January 12 earthquake continue.  On January 22, the GoH 
revised the death toll to more than 111,400 people, according to 
the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
(OCHA).  The number of displaced persons and associated spontaneous 
settlement sites vary as ongoing assessments continue to refine 
estimates. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (U) The GoH reported that 609,000 people remained displaced in 
the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area alone.  Of an estimated 500 
spontaneous settlement sites accommodating displaced 
earthquake-affected populations in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan 
area, the Shelter and Non-Food Item (NFI) Cluster reported that 
relief agencies had assessed 314 sites as of January 21.  Based on 
preliminary assessments, an estimated 470,000 people are residing 
in the 314 sites and the projected total population for the 500 
spontaneous sites could exceed 770,000 individuals. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) In addition to displaced persons in Port-au-Prince, on 
January 23, the GoH reported that an estimated 210,000 individuals 
have left the capital to other departments.  This information 
appears generally consistent with a January 20 and 21 rapid 
assessment of outmigration from Port-au-Prince conducted by USAID 
partner Market Chain Enhancement project in Haiti (MarChE). 
According to MarChE, approximately 230,000 people have migrated 
from Port-au-Prince to the departments of Grand-Anse, Nippes, 
North, Northwest, South, Southeast, and Artibonite.  MarChE 
identified rapid job creation as an important need in all 
departments receiving displaced persons and noted that residents 
already unemployed before the earthquake fear that the new arrivals 
may exacerbate socioeconomic pressures. 
 
 
 
--------------- 
 
FOOD ASSISTANCE 
 
--------------- 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On January 22, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and the 
U.S. Military's Joint Task Force-Haiti (JTF-H) met to plan military 
logistical and security support for the first phase of WFP's 
operation to rapidly provide prepared meals to areas of 
displacement.  Under the plan, an estimated 15,000 people per day 
will receive two-week rations at each of 15 distribution points. 
The total requirement for the operation is 15 million prepared 
meals, although the resourcing of this requirement has not been 
confirmed.  Although the plan was briefed to the GoH, it has not 
yet been formally approved.  (Note:  This revised plan will replace 
the original plan of four distribution hubs to service various 
distribution points.  Under this revised plan, beneficiaries will 
have to walk no further than 5 km to reach a distribution point. 
End note.) 
 
 
 
¶8.  (U) On January 22, WFP reached 66,321 people with food, 
bringing the cumulative total to more than 284,000 people. 
Numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including current 
P.L. 480 Title II partners, have also started distributing food at 
various locations, but numbers of beneficiaries reached are not yet 
available.  According to the GoH, an additional 300,000 people have 
received hot meals from the Government of the Dominican Republic 
and through the GoH's National School Feeding Program. 
 
 
 
¶9.  (U) On January 23, the JTF-H coordinated with the U.N. 
Humanitarian Information Coordination Unit (HICU) located at the 
U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and WFP to conduct 
an air delivery of 40 bundles of prepared meals and 20 bundles of 
water to a secure site in Port-au-Prince.  WFP received and 
distributed the commodities on the ground, with MINUSTAH securing 
the distribution area. 
 
 
 
-------- 
 
SHELTER 
 
-------- 
 
 
 
¶10.  (U)  The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) 
reports that the Emergency Shelter Cluster's draft shelter strategy 
will focus on host community support, transitional shelter, 
disaster risk reduction programming, and cash-for-work activities 
focused on salvaging and debris removal.  The Emergency Shelter 
Cluster capacity is expected to significantly increase with the 
arrival of additional U.N., NGO, and International Organization for 
Migration (IOM) qualified shelter specialists in the coming days. 
 
 
 
¶11.  (U) Citing significant needs among displaced persons in 
Leogane and Gressier, the GoH is advocating for immediate tent 
distributions in the two areas to provide shelter assistance. 
However, IOM noted the depletion of tent stocks in Haiti, Panama, 
and Florida, and the unavailability of tents from other regional 
sources. Attempts to procure tents from India and other countries 
involve a protracted delivery date unsuitable to address immediate 
needs.  IOM estimates that combined in-country tents stocks and 
expected tent arrivals in the coming days represent a total of 
40,000 tents capable of accommodating five individuals per tent for 
a total of 200,000 individuals.  However, given the extensive 
shelter needs, tents are not the only option and will be 
supplemented with host family support, transitional shelter, and 
shelter kits featuring plastic sheeting. 
 
 
 
------ 
 
HEALTH 
 
------ 
 
 
 
¶12.  (U) As of January 22, the Pan-American Health Organization 
(PAHO) reported a total of 47 hospitals, 2 floating hospitals with 
helicopter transport capacity - the USNS Comfort and a Mexican 
hospital ship - and approximately 11 mobile clinics in 
Port-au-Prince.  In addition, 150 health facilities with primary 
care are operational in Port-au-Prince, including 46 with operating 
rooms, and 8 field hospitals.  According to the Health Cluster, 
approximately 20,000 people are known to be injured and in need of 
medical assistance, of which approximately 1,000 patients require 
specialized care. 
 
 
 
¶13.  (U) The U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) reports no 
outbreaks of communicable diseases, including cholera, measles and 
rubella, despite difficult public health conditions.  However, the 
earthquake has disrupted vaccination services and conditions have 
contributed to increase population vulnerability.  In response, the 
Health Cluster has reported plans to increase immunization 
activities for polio, measles, and diphtheria, pertussis, and 
tetanus (DPT).  However, details remain to be determined and will 
require a stabilization of conditions and improved logistics.  In 
addition, the Health Cluster plans to establish epidemiological 
surveillance mechanisms at 31 health facilities on January 24 to 
monitor health conditions and disease outbreaks. 
 
 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE (WASH) 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶14.  (U) Consolidation and increased coordination involving water 
trucking efforts continue to improve distribution efforts.  On 
January 22, the WASH Cluster reported that a two-week contract 
between the Coalition Nationale des Syndicats de Transporteurs 
Ha????tiens (CNSTH) and the GoH's National Direction for Potable 
Water 
and Sanitation (DINEPA) is under finalization to provide fifty 
3,000-gallon trucks to transport water from three pre-identified 
sites (Drouillard, Cazeau, and Tabarre) to several distribution 
sites in Bas Delmas, Haut Delmas, Plaine du Cul de Sac, and 
Carrefour. 
 
¶15.  (U) On January 22, the WASH Cluster reported that 98 of the 
highest density settlement sites and hospital sites are receiving 
water deliveries, representing an estimated 225,000 individuals. 
On average, water tanker trucks are delivering a total of 1 million 
liters of water each day.  Deliveries are currently providing 
approximately four liters of water per person per day, in addition 
to other existing water sources available near many camps. 
 
 
 
----------------- 
 
USAID ASSISTANCE 
 
----------------- 
 
 
 
¶16.  (U) As of January 23, USAID has contributed nearly USD 180 
million in earthquake response funding, including more than USD 102 
million from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance 
(USAID/OFDA), USD 68 million from USAID's Office of Food for Peace 
(USAID/FFP), USD 5 million from USAID's Office of Transition 
Initiatives, more than USD 3.5 million from USAID/Haiti, and $1 
million from USAID/Dominican Republic.  Of the total, USAID has 
contributed USD 90 million to the U.N. appeal, including USD 22 
million in non-food assistance and USD 68 million in food 
assistance. 
 
 
 
¶17.  (U) As of January 22, USAID/OFDA had consigned 766 rolls of 
plastic sheeting, 64,000 aqua tabs, 54,414 water containers, 35,242 
hygiene kits, 817 kitchen kits, 20 water bladders, 446 tents, 3,090 
blankets, 1,000 body bags, 13 water purifiers, 380 food rations, 
and 408 sleeping mats to IOM as part of Haiti earthquake response 
efforts. 
 
 
 
¶18.  (U) On January 22, USAID/OFDA partner IOM reported that more 
than 100,000 people were receiving relief items daily, including 
blankets, kitchen sets, plastic sheeting, water containers, water 
purification tablets, and mosquito nets, through IOM and partners 
in Port-au-Prince.  As of January 23, USAID/OFDA-provided relief 
supplies continue to be offloaded from the USNS LUMMUS.  The 
commodities include 3,552 kitchen sets to benefit more than 17,000 
individuals and 400 rolls of plastic sheeting to serve the shelter 
needs of 20,000 individuals, as well as water, fuel, and rubble 
removal equipment.  In addition, two USAID/OFDA-chartered flights 
are currently en route to Port-au-Prince, transporting water 
containers, hygiene kits, and plastic sheeting. 
 
 
 
¶19.  (U) On January 18, USAID/Haiti redirected more than USD 3.5 
million from the Global Financial Crisis Haiti en Chantier project 
for immediate earthquake response.  The program will operate in 
affected areas with an initial focus on Port-au-Prince and Petit 
Go????ve.  Activities include debris removal, rehabilitation of key 
infrastructure, particularly roads, to facilitate relief efforts, 
and re-establishing water and sanitation systems. 
MERTEN