MEMO/10/81

Brussels, 15 March 2010

Factsheet Haiti earthquake (15/03/2010)

(Aftermath of the Earthquakes - 2010 © European Union - Photo by ECHO/Vicente Raimundo)

1. Latest Available Figures

GLOBAL
Bodies recovered and buried (minimum estimate) / 222,570[1]
Extracted alive from the rubble by int. rescue teams / 211[2]
People with immediate need for shelter / ± 1, 300,000
Total number of people affected in some way[3] / ± 3,500,000
EU NATIONALS[4]
Europeans present on 14.01 (maximum estimate)[5] / 2,706
Europeans accounted for / 1487
Europeans unaccounted for (maximum estimate) / 208
Europeans injured / 10
Europeans presumed dead / 8
Europeans killed / 55
Evacuated / 1583

2. Main Immediate Priorities for Emergency Aid

Distribution of shelter and sanitation solutions remain the highest priority. Emergency shelter will be 100% covered by April / MayThe provision of transitional shelters is now a key priority but humanitarian assistance should also focus in securing the most precarious sites in anticipation of the upcoming rainy and hurricanes season.

Rubble removal is increasingly urgent to make space for settlements.

Sanitation in camps is a major concern; the number of latrines needed being estimated at 55,000.

Many of the 396 health NGOs working in Haiti are due to depart in the coming weeks, without sufficient capacity planned to arrive. There is a risk of a large scale outbreak of diarrhoea, given the present overcrowding, poor sanitation and lack of effective waste disposal systems in spontaneous settlement sites.

3. Main Challenges for International assistance

  • Lack of government capacity to co-ordinate.
  • Some critical relief lifeline roads need urgent repairs requiring the use of heavy equipment and engineering capacity
  • Contingency planning (such as the replenishment of stocks positioned in Haiti and in the DR) is urgent due to the incoming rains and hurricanes. Support to the Haitian Direction de la Protection Civile and to local communities to face natural hazards will be necessary.
  • Need to strengthen the sector /cluster coordination.
  • Need to develop "cash for work" labour-intensive emergency activities (removal of rubbles) for Haitians to restore their livelihoods.
  • Agricultural recovery needs to be addressed prior to the main planting season, in March.
  • Before the earthquake, there were approximately 380,000 orphans in Haiti. The number of unaccompanied or orphaned children (including children with only one parent) is now estimated to be one million.

4. UN Flash Appeal[6]

A revised Flash Appeal was published on 18 February 2010, covering both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It totals USD 1,4 billion. The largest requirements concern food aid, early recovery, health and emergency shelter and non-food items. 48,7 % (USD 703 million) of the appeal is covered to date.

5. EU response

5.1 Emergency Phase

5.1.1 Humanitarian Effort

EU’s humanitarian assistance, including planned pledges, amount to a totalof over €315 million (18 MemberStates + Commission).The Commission's own emergency relief package is worth more than €120 million (including €3 million in fast track fundsallocatedless than 24 hours after the earthquake struck, + over €8 million of ongoing projects in Haiti being redirected, + Emergency Decision of €19 million and a Decision of €90 million was adopted on the 4th March). DG ECHO also reacted promptly by dispatching expert staff: 8 technical assistants that were in place just 14 hours after the earthquake.

5.1.2 Civil Protection coordinated by MIC[7]

The EU has deployed more than 800experts[8] and substantial assets from 254 EU /EEA countries that are providing assistance to Haiti through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (AT, BE, BG, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, HE, HU, IS, IE, IT, LU, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, SK, SI, ES, SE, and UK). On 9 February, the Prime Minister of Haiti appealed to the EU for urgent military assistance with shelter. See point 5.1.3 for details.

In order to ensure full coordination of EU military assets with the civilian humanitarian effort in full respect of Oslo Guidelines, a third team was deployed on site 27 February.

Several EU Member States have offered a range of additional assets (containers, blankets, towers) to further support the relief efforts.

Regarding the UN request for support with shelter, so far, a French military offer has been made. The offer consists of two engineering platoons (200 persons with 120 vehicles). The French contingent is expected to arrive in Haiti on 16 March (first vessel) and 20 March (second vessel). The EUCP team continues the dialogue with UNOCHA, UNICEF, French Embassy, NGOs and other actors, working on defining a list of potential tasks for the French military assistance assets and capabilities.

Summary Overview:

  • 12 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team (around 440 people and search dogs): BE, FR (2), LU, IS, PL, UK, NL, ES (4)
  • 2 Field Hospitals (90 people): BE, FR,
  • 5 Advanced Medical Posts: EU, FR (3), PT
  • 38 Medical Teams (253 people): FR (30), PT (2), DE, ES (2), HU, GR, UK
  • 6 Water sanitation units: EU, BE, DE, FR, ES (2) and water purification tablets: IT, DE, PT, SE
  • 7 Assessment teams (35 people): CZ (2 people), DE (4), IRE (4), IT (12), ES (7), SE (2), UK (4)
  • 2234 tents for app. 18,200 persons: AT (400 x 6), SE (200 x 5), IT (155 x 8 and 1000 x 10), SI (25 x 10), SK (15 x 10, 4 x 12,6 x 8), ES (197x6), PT (65 for 615 people), BG (67 x 2), PL (200 x 6)
  • 1 Technical Assistance Support Team (TAST)/Base-camp with a capacity 300 people provided in several shipments: this is a joint-module of SE, DK, NO, EE and FI.
  • EU co-financing for transport of assistance requested or approved so far reaches a total amount of €4.5 million. Twenty (20) requests for transport support have been awarded by the Commission.
  • 3 EU CP Assessment and Coordination Teams deployed on site: Team Alpha - 14.01-25.01.2010; Team Bravo – 23.01-14.02.2010; Team Charlie – 28.02 – 18.03.2010

5.1.3 Military and Security Related Assets

EU Member States have offered a range of additional assets to support the government of Haiti and UN MINUSTAH. Exchange of information and coordination is facilitated through the Haiti Coordination Cell (EUCO) in the EU SITCEN. Regarding the UN request for support with shelter, France has sent last weekend two engineering platoons and a transportation vessel which set sail on 5 March. It is expected to arrive in Haiti around 18 March.

Summary Overview:

2 Formed Police units totaling 323 Gendarmerie Officers (FR, IT, ES). The 125 members of the Italian contingent are not deployed yet.

"Cavour" Aircraft Carrier with enhanced hospital on board (ROLE 2), engineering task force (190),6 Italian helicopters, and force protection elements (IT)+ 1 military police team+ 1 scuba diver team docked at "Port au Prince" (IT).

"Castilla" LPD (Landing Platform Dock) Ship with enhanced hospital on board ROLE 2, 2 drinking water production and delivery capability and engineering assets, transport and supply assets, force protection elements, 446 officers and 4 helicopters. Acting in the area of Petit Goave (ES).

"RFALargsBay" - Auxiliary Vessel with Amphibious landing capability(UK) will probably remain in Haiti until 15 March. It will shuttle cargo between different ports in Haiti.

4 military personnel as Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Team (UK)

8 Royal Military Police (UK)

7 liaison officers with USA and Canada. (UK)

Infantry Platoon (30 officers) offered by Greece to MINUSTAH

Military Engineer Officer (IRE)+ national Planning Team

5.2 Support for Early Recovery and Reinforcing State Capacity

An EU joint team of experts (COM and FR, ES, B) assessed the most urgent needs facing the Haitian authorities during a mission to Haiti from 1 to 9 February. They jointly made proposals for reconstruction of government buildings, support for education and governance, budget support and strengthening disaster preparedness mechanisms. The European Commission has decided to allocate €100 millionto help Haiti's government respond to these needs.

On February 18 the Prime Minister of Haiti Jean-Max Bellerivelaunched the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) exercise, which is analysing the main challenges in the aftermath of the earthquake. It is structured around seven priority themes (territorial development, infrastructure, social, productive sectors, governance, economic analysis and cross-cutting themes). The PDNA Coordination Team is composed of representatives of the Government of Haiti, European Union, Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations and World Bank. The PDNA involves about 300 experts from Haiti and abroad, including 14 from the European Union (8 from Member States and 6 from COM).

The results of the PDNA will inform the preparation of a national strategic for recovery and development, which will include measurable targets, indicators and costs for the immediate (6 months), short-term (18 months) and medium to long-term (3 and 10 years respectively) perspective. The first 6 months time period is largely determined by the immediate response to the earthquake. The final results of the PDNA will bediscussed at technical levelon 16-17 March in Santo Domingo and presented at the International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti in New York on 31 March.

5.3. Mid-Term Recovery/Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Phase

The International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti is being prepared by the UN and US in cooperation with the Government of Haiti, and with the support of Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, and Spain. The goal of the conference is to mobilize international support for the development needs of Haiti to begin to lay the foundation for country's long-term recovery. The Government of Haiti is expected to present its vision for the future and how international support can assist it in meeting the challenges following the 12 January earthquake.

The European Union plans to respond to this vision with a common EU strategy and a joint package of support that will be announced at the conference. The European Commission and MemberStates continued to work towards the elaboration of a comprehensive plan to aid Haiti's reconstruction, including by defining a single European figure for assistance.As part of the run up to the New York event, the European Commission this week invited around 50 NGOs to a stakeholder outreach conference in Brussels on 23 March, which is expected to inform the main conference at the end of the month.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva visited Haiti on 2-3 March, where they met with Haitian President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive to discuss the country's needs and inform the EU's response. The European Commission is making available more than €200 millionfrom the 10th and 9th EDF funds for Haiti to support its medium term rehabilitation and long term development. This will be in addition to individual contributions from EU Member States' budgets.

For more information and to download relevant documents please consult the ”Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti” page on Vice President Ashton’s website .

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre funded by the Instrument for Stability provides maps and analysis at

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[1] Source: UN OCHA Situation Report no. 25 of 1 March quoting the Government's Direction for Civil Protection(DPC)

[2]Source: UN OCHA Situation Report no. 20 of 11 February

[3] Source: DG ECHO Situation Report n. 15 of 4 March

[4] Source: EU SITCEN/Consular Unit, Member States Consular Authorities

[5] EU citizens on consular lists of EU Member States' Embassies. This number also includes Haitians with dual citizenship.

[6]

[7]European Commission’s Monitoring and InformationCenter (MIC)

[8]The number of experts is a minimum estimate due to partial information on the exact size of USAR and medical teams provided by Member States. The number of experts does not take into account for example, various other types of experts deployed in Haiti, e.g. logistics and communication experts, coordination and support teams,, etc.

Due to difficulties finding a transport solution for the Cypriot assistance, the country's offer were not retained.