WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN HAITI

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001680 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PAS AID FOR LAC/CAR TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV SENV EAGR SOCI HA SUBJECT: WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN HAITI ¶1. Haiti has experienced protracted rains and severe flooding over several parts of the country caused by rains beginning on 29 September. The most recent damage assessment by Haiti's Department of Civil Protection (DPC) the afternoon of October 14 reported 37 dead, 4 missing, 78 injured, 14,150 families affected, 3264 persons in shelters, 772 homes destroyed, and 4397 dwellings damaged. ¶2. The casualty figures are almost certain to increase. Local press on October 15 reported casualty figures of 47 dead. ¶3. The worst-hit area is the town of Cabaret in the West Department, located some 20 miles north of the capital, where DPC reports 23 fatalities in a flash flood. Other areas severely affected are the south (Les Cayes, Torbeck, and Cavaillon),the Artibonite (Gonaives and Grand Saline),and the Northeast Department (Ouanaminthe and Sainte Suzanne). All other Departments of Haiti except the Center have been affected to some degree by the flooding. ¶4. Embassy USAID official visited Cabaret October 13, and observed that a flash flood that residents said had lasted only a few hours had severely damaged a very localized area and swept away 23 people. Among other emergency provisions, USAID has authorized the provision of 16 tons of food through its Food for Peace partner Catholic Relief Services provisioning approximately 225 families for 2 weeks. ¶5. MINUSTAH Humanitarian and Development Coordination Section Head Jens Kristensen reported to poloff October 15 that in addition to damage to dwellings, the flooding inflicted considerable damage on livestock and agricultural fields. Severe erosion of Haiti's topsoil has reduced the absorptive capacity of the ground. With continued building of homes in flood plains, heavy rains quickly turn into floods that affect inhabited areas. SANDERSON