The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, had a profound impact on the country. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake resulted in an estimated 316,000 deaths and affected approximately 3 million people, according to the Government of Haiti (GoH). The epicenter of the earthquake was located 10 miles southwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince. In response to the disaster, the U.S. Government (USG) provided more than $1.1 billion to meet humanitarian needs arising from the earthquake in FY 2010, including more than $683 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Humanitarian efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake focused on providing safe drinking water, food, household items, shelter, sanitation facilities, and health services to affected populations. USAID worked closely with other USG agencies, the GoH, international organizations, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations to coordinate ongoing efforts and facilitate the transition from emergency relief to recovery while addressing identified humanitarian needs. The USG also provided nearly $76 million to meet humanitarian needs arising from the cholera outbreak in FY 2011, including nearly $46 million from USAID.
As of October 26, 2011, the GoH Ministry of Public Health and Population reported that the cholera outbreak in Haiti had resulted in more than 485,000 reported cholera cases, nearly 260,000 hospitalizations, and more than 6,700 deaths. In response to the cholera outbreak, USAID/OFDA’s emergency cholera response plan focused on preventing cholera cases, reducing the number of cases requiring hospitalization, and reducing the case fatality rate (CFR). The plan included four elements: provision of chlorine to increase the availability of safe drinking water, expansion of national hygiene education outreach, provision of medical supplies and sachets of oral rehydration salts, and an increase in the number of cholera treatment facilities (CTFs), particularly in underserved and rural areas.
The USG has also provided significant funding for shelter and settlements in Haiti. As of October 1, 2011, USAID/OFDA partners reported the completion of 28,326 transitional shelters (t-shelters) in Haiti. In addition, as of October 1, 2011, USAID/OFDA partners had completed repairs to approximately 5,100 structures deemed “yellow” by USAID/OFDA-funded habitability assessments, or safe for habitation following minor repairs, accommodating nearly 7,200 households. This figure represents an increase of more than 360 households since September 1, 2011. The number of reported IDP sites in Haiti has decreased by more than 10 percent since the 894 sites reported in July 2011 and by 48 percent since the 1,555 sites reported in July 2010, according to IOM’s recently released Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).