Haiti earthquake response

13 January 2010: Plan has released US$100,000 of emergency funds to help deal with the immediate aftermath of earthquake in Haiti.

The NGO, which has worked in the country since 1973, is working closely with government, emergency services and other organisations to respond to the immediate needs of children in the region and to assess the situation.

Specialist staff response

Extra disaster response specialist staff are also be sent to Haiti and staff from neighbouring Dominican Republic made available to assist.

Plan staff in Haiti reported widespread panic when the 7.23 magnitude quake and two strong aftershocks struck.  Damage to communication infrastructure has also added to confusion and fear, they say.

Plan staff in the capital Port-au-Prince said their office had been among those badly damaged and was unsafe.

“The situation is terrible, people are screaming and there is a total darkness around the city,” one Plan staff member said.

Plan staff reported severe damage in Jacmel and Croix-des-Bouquets two of the areas where it operates.  A tsunami alert was issued for Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba but was recalled shortly thereafter. Reports from Pedernales on the Dominican border with Haiti say that there was panic among people when the ocean pulled back, but then returned to normal.

Assisting children

Roger Yates, Plan Director of disasters and humanitarian response said: “Of all the countries in the region, Haiti is the most vulnerable. It is an extremely poor country and our experience from other earthquakes is that the impact upon its fragile infrastructure will be severely felt for some time to come.

“Our priority is assisting children and their families and getting people at risk into safe accommodation wherever possible. Also easing the psychological trauma upon people, which is not as obvious, will be very important as will ensuring child protection.”

“A  proper assessment of the damage and immediate needs will not be able to be done until light breaks, but it is already evident that this is an extremely serious situation, the long-term effects of which are going to need substantial support.”

Notes for editors
Media interviews, please note that Plan staff are available for comment in Haiti but access to satellite communications is limited.

For requests, please contact:

Stuart Coles, Senior Press Officer, +44 (0) 7500 066 891
stuart.coles@plan-international.org

The following Plan staff in London are now available for comment:
(en route to Haiti)  Dr Unni Krishnan, - extensive experience of earthquake response in India, Iran, China and Kashmir. & work in Haiti;  acknowledged expert in psychosocial support.

+44 (0) 7964 195563
unni.krishnan@plan-international.org

Roger Yates, Director of Humanitarian Response & Disasters
+44 (0) 77340 233 75
roger.yates@plan-international.org

Plan, has operated in Haiti for 37 years and currently has projects in the following areas:
Beudet , Cayes-Jacmel , Croix-des-Bouquets , Dolney , Fort-Liberté , Frères , Jacmel , Lavallée, Ouanaminthe , Trou-du-Nord