Haiti Data Update -- 23 Jan

HAITI -- NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 01/23/10
Estimated Number of Deaths 111,400 people
Estimated Number Displaced in Port- au-Prince Metropolitan Area 609,000 people
Estimated Total Number Displaced 1 million people
Estimated Affected Population 3 million people

Search & Rescue Winding Down - 132 total saved

At 1439 hours local time, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) reported that at least two U.S. Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams were working on a possible live rescue at the Napoli Hotel— nearly 12 days after the earthquake occurred. Despite the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination team’s January 22 announcement of a cessation of search and rescue operations, the USAID/DART reports that search and rescue operations remain ongoing, noting that U.S. USAR teams continue to operate at the Napoli Hotel and other identified areas.

U.S. USAR teams will continue to conduct operations utilizing rubble removal equipment at identified sites. As of January 22, the U.N. reported that international USAR teams had conducted rescues for a total of 132 people, 47 of which were conducted by U.S. USAR teams.

Health - 20,000 treated, 1000 surgeries performed - no disease outbreaks

> USNS COMFORT had treated 1,427 patients and performed more than 93 surgeries

> HHS medical teams have treated 8,060 patients in Port-au-Prince

> Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) reported the presence of a total of 150 operating health facilities, including 46 facilities with surgical capacity. An additional two floating hospitals with helicopter transport capacities—the USNS COMFORT and a Mexican hospital ship—and approximately 11 mobile clinics are currently operational in Port-au-Prince, according to the USAID/DART.

> USAID/DART teams estimated that 20,000 injured people required medical assistance. Of the total, approximately 1,000 patients require specialized care

>WHO reported no post-earthquake outbreaks of communicable diseases—including cholera, measles, and rubella—despite the damage to health facilities and water and sanitation infrastructure.

Relocation of Displaced
> GoH continues to encourage and provide transportation for earthquake-affected individuals to depart Port-au-Prince for non-affected regions of Haiti, more than 130,000people had departed Port-au-Prince

Food, Water & Supplies
> U.N. WASH Cluster reported that 98 of the highest density settlement sites and hospital sites were receiving water deliveries, representing a beneficiary population of estimated 225,000 individuals. Deliveries provide approximately four liters of water per person per day.

> WFP has distributed nearly 1.2 million rations to earthquake-affected populations

> International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 100,000 people were receiving relief items per day, including blankets, kitchen sets, plastic sheeting, water containers, water purification tablets, and mosquito nets, through IOM and partners in Port-au-Prince.

> IOM estimates that combined in-country tent stocks and expected tent arrivals in the coming days constitute a total of 40,000 tents, capable of accommodating 200,000 individuals.

Children
> U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners reached approximately 37,000 children with psychosocial support, emergency relief supplies, health referrals, and other assistance; however, UNICEF notes that registration of vulnerable children remains a priority. With support from UNICEF, mobile Haitian Institut du Bien Etre Social et de Recherche teams continue to conduct daily child protection rapid assessments in approximately 10 sites, with plans to reach 20 sites per day by the week of January 25.

source USAID

Two steps forward, one step back ...

The US Military response continues to increase the delivery of relief to the fractured nation of Haiti. The major media networks continue to feed us the usual drivel on the latest daily hang-wringing by blow-dried pundits, bleating daily gotchas on the difficulties in security and logitistics. Meanwhile, the US Military, USAID, UN and NGOs too numerous to count, are stoically pushing through barriers both physical and mental, to continue extra-ordinary rescue efforts, providing critical medical care, managing a logistical flood of in-bound relief supplies and establishing basic security perimeters. Americans and their international partners are getting the job done ... one damn day at a time, thank you very much!

“Every day we learn something new out here,” he said. “We’ve tried different things. Sometimes it goes smooth. Sometimes it doesn’t go smooth and it’s about adjusting.”

US Military Learning Fast [DOD]

"This is very unusual. I don't remember a disaster in 20 years where you have had an earthquake right in the capital city. The ministries have collapsed. The NGOs' headquarters, many of them, collapsed. Many NGO workers were killed. The U.N. leadership was killed.

This is -- this is different than what we have seen before. So, the -- the order that the U.S. military brings is very important at this point. But as soon as the people from UNOCHA come in, they should take over. The World Food Program, probably the most competent U.N. agency, typically runs airports all over the world in emergencies like this.

The U.S. military is running it because I don't think WFP has arrived with their air traffic controllers yet to run it. But -- and there are some very competent Haitians, too. So, it's a matter -- all of this is a matter of time. It takes a few days to put a vast structure of this complexity in place. There are thousands of aid workers working on this right now."

U.S Military Plays High-Profile Role in Haiti Relief Effort [PBS]

LA USAR Team Rescue video

JTF Haiti Commander Notes Progress

DOD press release 011910

DOD Blogger breiefing by Lt Gen Keen, Military Deputy Commander
USSOUTHCOM

<> 180 flights go through the airport with zero delays, 1/18
the single runway at the Port-au-Prince airport handled just 13 flights per day before the earthquake. U.S. airmen opened the airport less than 24 hours after the earthquake in response to a request for help from Haitian authorities. It then took several days to streamline the system for handling the crush of planes carrying supplies. Landing time slots now are now assigned based on priorities set by Haitian officials.


<> as 0f 1/18, U.S. troops had distributed 400,000 bottles of water, 300,000 rations and 12,000 pounds of medical supplies(only U.S. contributions). Numerous nations and international aid groups also are delivering assistance. Still a drop in the bucket for 3.5 million effected ... but significant progress.

<> about 1,400 military on the ground right now ... approximately 5,000 that are afloat on various ships.. force over the coming weeks to where we will have about 4,000 to 5,000 on Haiti and another 5,000 offshore

<> Hospital ship USNS Comfort, in bound, which can supply up to 1,000 hospital beds. The USS Bataan also has arrived arrived, and a Marine landing battalion from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is expected to go ashore today to one of the hardest-hit regions outside Port-au-Prince that has been beyond the reach of help until now.


<>Lt. Gen. Keen said he has not witnessed what some media reports characterize as a rising tide of violence. "All the places that U.S. forces have gone thus far have been very calm,” he said. “In fact, they've been overtly welcoming. People have been very orderly, and they’ve been very appreciative of all the aid that they've been given."

Keen, who was in Haiti when the earthquake struck, said the response so far has been tremendous.

"I am proud of what our nation and the international community has done," he said.

82nd Airborne troopers deliver hope

U.S. Army Spc. Brent Nailor, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, passes out humanitarian aid meals to women and children in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 16, 2010. The squadron established a forward operating base at an abandoned, damaged country club near the embassy. A survivor camp of thousands is situated near the based. DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III