Haiti

HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES

• Haiti remains at high alert in preparation for Tropical Storm Tomas, according to the Civil Protection (DPC).
• The UN and humanitarian community continue to support the DPC contingency plan by prepositioning shelter, health, food and water supplies across Haiti.
• Humanitarian partners estimate 150,000 tarpaulins are required to meet shelter needs following Tropical Storm Tomas.
• World Food Programme distributed 2.1 million water purification tablets to Gonaives in Artibonite to be distributed in schools in the affected areas as part of their cholera prevention initiative.

Situation Overview

According to the National Meteorological Centre (CNM), Hurricane Tomas has weakened since yesterday to become a tropical storm and is projected to reach the southern coast of Haiti in the next 72 hours. A special bulletin has been issued and the orange alert has been maintained since 30 October. The departments of Southeast, South, Nippes, Grande Anse and West are at risk of flooding, landslides and might experience moderate to strong winds, in particular in the south. Although the storm itself has weakened, the trajectory could be more detrimental to Haiti bringing wind and rain for several days. In support of the Civil Protection (DPC), the UN and humanitarian partners continue to dispatch supplies to key areas across the country while working to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to enable response in Port-au-Prince.

Supplies are being pre-positioned notably in Jérémie, Les Cayes, Jacmel and Léogane which are expected to experience the storm more severely. Today the Humanitarian Coordinator led an inter-agency mission comprising of representatives from OCHA, the shelter cluster, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The team carried out an evaluation of emergency preparedness measures implemented in preparation for the approaching storm, visiting Jacmel, Jérémie, Les Cayes and Miragoane.

As of 30 October, the Ministry of Health (MSPP) has reported 4,764 cases of cholera reported in hospitals and 337 deaths from the disease. As today and tomorrow are national holidays, new data is not expected before 3 November. In lieu of the holidays, water and sanitation (WASH) partners report conducting special activities to inhibit the spread of cholera at festivals and markets.

In IDP camps across Port-au-Prince today cleaning, disinfection and chlorination activities, distributions of hygiene kits, and awareness programs on cholera prevention continued. IOM started a mapping exercise of plans implemented by camp management agencies acting to prevent and contain cholera in the camps. Hurricane preparedness continued in camps today as well.