Summary
Content
Situation update
On 12 January at 16:53h local time (21:53h GMT) an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale (depth 10 km) hit a highly populated area in Ouest Province of Haiti (population 2.2 million), 17km south-west of Port au Prince (18.45N, 72.45W). Carrefour and Jacmel may also be affected.
Initial reports indicate a high number of casualties and heavy damage to Port au Prince. There are also reports of looting in the capital. Access to affected areas is restricted by road debris.
Infrastructure
- Water supply, electricity and communication lines have been damaged
- Buildings in the United Nations compound in the capital have been destroyed, except for the World Food Programme Office which is hosting colleagues from other UN agencies
- Port au Prince airport status
- Currently line of sight landing / radio-assisted only
- Tower is responding to incoming aircraft
- Availability of refuelling, cargo and aircraft handling equipment is not yet known
- It is understood that the airport will be open for humanitarian air flights only
Immediate needs
Search and rescue; emergency health; water and sanitation; shelter; food; logistics and telecommunications
Response
- The Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell is deploying Baptiste Burgaud (baptiste.burgaud@wfp.org; +39 3490507280) to Port au Prince via the Dominican Republic, where he will initially establish a Logistics Cluster cell. Edmondo Perrone (edmondo.perrone@wfp.org; +509 37012341) is the Logistics Cluster coordinator in Haiti and will return to his duty station via Panama on 15 Jan.
- In total WFP is deploying seven logistics staff and three telecommunications staff to help support relief efforts through the Logistics and Telecommunications Clusters.
- WFP has designated the Panama UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) as a staging area for the provision of humanitarian support to Haiti. WFP and United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) are planning to airlift 86 mt of high energy biscuits (HEBs) from the satellite logistics hub in El Salvador and emergency relief items from UNHRD Panama in support of the affected population.
- WFP has established a logistics hub in the neighbouring Dominican Republic and has begun acquiring logistics assets such as a coastal vessel to assist with delivery of relief supplies.
- WFP Logistics is deploying Andrew Stanhope, Logistics Officer (andrew.stanhope@wfp.org; +503 78615152). A WFP Aviation Officer is on standby in the Dominican Republic.
- THW is sending an assessment team to Port au Prince.
- World Vision Haiti will distribute first aid kits to survivors along with basic materials such as soap, blankets, clothes and bottles of water as an initial response.
- Deployments from the French and US military are on their way to Haiti.
Map resources
The Global Logistics Cluster GIS Unit has published an overview map of affected infrastructure at Haiti Earthquake
Other Map Resources
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/haiti.html
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Haiti#2010_Earthquake_Response
http://www.crisismappers.net/forum/topics/task-force-haiti-earthquake
http://www.un-spider.org/?q=disaster/3165/2010-01-12/haiti
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/north_america/haiti#breadcrumbs