Haiti earthquake © REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz courtesy www.alertnet.org
Haiti Earthquake
On 12 January, the largest earthquake in 200 years hit Haiti, approximately 10 miles South-West of the densely populated capital Port-au-Prince. According to estimates, there could be as many as 200,000 people who have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands more left without homes or access to clean water.
While it is too early to know the full human cost, it is clear that the disaster is on a catastrophic scale and that the long-term impact will be protracted and complex. The 7.0 magnitude quake destroyed essential public buildings such as schools, hospitals and government ministries, and levelled whole neighbourhoods to ground.
Over the next few weeks, the international community in conjunction with local partners will be mobilising huge human and physical resources to establish temporary settlements for 200,000 families - or 1 million people, including the provision of adequate water and sanitation facilities and on-going assistance to affected populations. This will be followed by reconstruction and supporting the recovery of basic infrastructure and economy.
What we’re doing
RedR Members and placements
A number of RedR Members have been deployed to Haiti to work with agencies such as Oxfam, International Relief UK, MSF Switzerland, Save the Children and the French Red Cross. They are working in several different capacities, including as water, sanitation and hygiene experts, emergency coordinators and doctors.
We are also placing experienced aid workers with agencies and RedR-trained Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster Coordinators have also been deployed.
Technical Support Service
RedR is providing support through its free on-line Technical Support Service, UNICEF, as the global WASH Cluster lead, has asked RedR to provide technical support to the WASH Cluster in Haiti.
Training - supporting medium term relief and long term sustainability
RedR currently has a joint team out in Haiti with French organisation, Bioforce, conducting a needs assessment. Following this we will be setting up a country programme in Haiti to train local and international aid workers who are responding to the crisis.
RedR’s international networks and contacts on the ground in Haiti suggest that in the coming weeks and months, the overwhelming need will be around logistics, water and sanitation, emergency shelter, construction and security, with project planning and management needed in the longer term.
We urgently need funding in order to successfully continue this planned training and support programme for as long as it is needed.
“There will be serious issues in the longer term requiring longer term support from organisations like RedR - long after the earthquake has faded from the news- It will be a complex urban reconstruction with multistory houses and a history of chronic poverty and unrest."
Joseph Ashmore, RedR Member
Haiti news
Haiti stories
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RedR Member Joseph Ashmore was interviewed on Channel 4 News 14 January about the Shelter situation in Haiti.
Related pages
What you can do
RedR is appealing for donations in response to the earthquake in Haiti. To make a donation, please visit the Donate page on our website.
We have had a fantastic response to our appeal and we would like to thank all the companies, organisations and individuals who have already pledged their support.
We would like to thank the following companies for their generous contributions:
Thames Water
Arup
Cundall
CH2M HILL
Mott MacDonald
Scott Wilson
Buro Happold
The Happold Trust
GCG
KCRC
Tony Gee
XLN
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Croudace Homes Group Ltd
Robert Bird & Partners
The Institution of Structural Engineers
The Worshipful Company of Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers
If the funds raised exceed RedR's requirements for the Haiti Emergency Appeal, the money will go to RedR's Emergency Response Fund.
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