The Aug. 14 earthquake in Haiti caused widespread damage. A CORE assessment team is on the ground for initial rapid assessments. (Photo courtesy of CORE.)

Overview

Just before 8:30 a.m. ET on Aug. 14, an M7.2 earthquake struck the southwest of Haiti in the mountains between the Nippes Department and Sud Department. This earthquake occurred at a depth of only 6.2 miles (10 km), which is critical because shallow earthquakes usually cause more damage.

Haiti Earthquake 2021 Map
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Interactive Map.

For comparison, the catastrophic 2010 earthquake took place approximately 46.6 miles (75 km) west of this earthquake and was an M7.0 that occurred at a depth of 8.1 miles (13 km). The damages from this earthquake are similar to 2010, albeit on a smaller scale due to the more rural geography and the smaller population at the epicenter. Just under a million people live within 31 miles (50 kilometers) of the epicenter, and about 234,000 live within nine miles (15 km).

There have been dozens of aftershocks recorded since the earthquake, ranging from M2.5 to M5.8 Unlike the 2010 earthquake, research teams were on the ground right after this earthquake monitoring the aftershocks and gathering information to help predict future activity.

Haiti experienced a direct hit from Tropical Depression (TD) Grace overnight on Aug. 16. International humanitarian and response teams had to reduce many of their operations, especially the air-bridge used to distribute supplies. Those who had lost homes or remained outside fearing an aftershock huddled under tarps or tried to find shelter elsewhere. It is unknown how much rain fell, but the “storm was forecast to dump 5 to 10 inches of rain as it passed Haiti, with as much as 15 inches possible locally. Weather data isn’t regularly available from Haiti even in the best of times, but early satellite reports indicated more than 5 inches fell in some areas,” according to Weather.com. Videos shared on social media show extensive street flooding.

Hundreds of landslides occurred in the impacted area. The most significant landslide blocked the major national highway between Jeremie and Les Cayes, hampering travel for rescue and aid efforts. TD Grace triggered additional landslides as destabilized soil got wet.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), “The back-to-back disasters are exacerbating preexisting vulnerabilities. At the time of the disaster, Haiti is still reeling from the 7 July assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and still facing an escalation in gang violence since June that has affected 1.5 million people, with at least 19,000 displaced in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. The compounded effects of an ongoing political crisis, socio-economic challenges, food insecurity and gang violence continue to greatly worsen an already precarious humanitarian situation. Some 4.4 million people, or nearly 46 per cent of the population, face acute food insecurity, including 1.2 million who are in emergency levels (IPC 4) and 3.2 million people at crisis levels (IPC Phase 3). An estimated 217,000 children suffer from moderate-to-severe acute malnutrition.”

The World Bank says, “With a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of US $1,149.50 and a Human Development Index ranking of 170 out of 189 countries in 2020, Haiti remains the poorest country in the Latin America and Caribbean region and among the poorest countries in the world … In addition to the challenges posed by the pandemic and the political stalemate, Haiti remains highly vulnerable to natural hazards, mainly hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. More than 96% of the population is exposed to these types of shocks.”

According to the World Food Programme, 77% of people in the affected area live in poverty. This increases their challenges in recovering from the disasters.

Haiti has also been overrun by gang violence and plagued by civil unrest, food insecurity, low education rates and cholera. This led Human Rights Watch (HRW) to state, “Protracted political instability and gang violence in 2020—often with state ties—contributed to the Haitian government’s inability to meet the basic needs of its people, resolve long-standing human rights problems, and address humanitarian crises.”

HRW also said:

  • “At least 12,000 people were reported displaced in 2020, the majority due to gang violence and a cyclone in July. Many more displaced people likely went uncounted.
  • Over 140,000 families displaced by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 still need decent shelter.
  • Since the 2010 earthquake, nearly 33,000 people still live in displacement camps and at least 300,000 live in an informal settlement without government oversight. Authorities have not provided assistance to return or resettle them, or to ensure their basic rights in the settlement.
  • The country’s most vulnerable communities face environmental risks, including widespread deforestation, industrial pollution, and limited access to safe water and sanitation.
  • According to international agencies, some 4.1 million Haitians—more than a third—live with food insecurity, and 2.1 percent of children suffer severe malnutrition.
  • Low rainfall, exacerbated by rising temperatures due to climate change, chronically affects much of the country.
  • Since its introduction by UN peacekeepers in 2010, cholera has infected more than 819,000 people and claimed nearly 10,000 lives.
  • Over a third of the population lacks access to clean water and two-thirds has limited or no sanitation service.
  • Haiti’s prisons remain severely overcrowded, with many inmates living in inhumane conditions. As of September 2020, prisons housed nearly 11,000 detainees, 78 percent of whom were awaiting trial.
  • Just under half of Haitians age 15 and older are illiterate. The quality of education is generally low, and 85 percent of schools are private, charging fees often too high for low-income families.
  • Unrest and the pandemic kept 70 percent of Haitian children from classes throughout the school year. From September through November 2019, instability kept an estimated 3 million children out of school, and in March, the pandemic closed schools for five months. Prior to the pandemic, Haiti already had 500,000 school-age children out of school.”

In addition, as with all countries in the world, Haiti is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Aug. 26, Haiti has reported 20,833 cases and 584 deaths. Testing is not (and has not been) a priority, so these numbers are likely severe underestimations. Haiti did not receive any vaccines until July 13, just one month before the earthquake. As a result, as of Sept. 17, only 0.21% of residents have received one dose, and 0.16% have been fully vaccinated. NGOs supporting response in the country are also implementing vaccination programs.

These circumstances will make the response and recovery from this disaster incredibly challenging in the coming days. The Haitian Prime Minister declared a month-long state of emergency in the most impacted departments, including Sud, Nippes and Grand’Anse.

Impact

As of Sept. 6, the Haiti Civil Protection Directorate (DPC) reports that 2,284 people have died and nearly 12,763 people were injured. There are still 329 people missing. The DPC also reported more than 130,000 houses destroyed or damaged and “enormous damage” to multiple roads, four ports and over 60 medical centers. There is a particular concern for the wellbeing of children, especially girls who the earthquake and subsequent hurricane have orphaned. The New Humanitarian reports that aid is slowly reaching those who need it, but is being challenged by gang activity, increasing cargo costs and other challenges.

UNOCHA says, “As access to food and purchasing power declines, nearly 1 million people – about 45 per cent of the population – in all 4 departments in Grand-Sud will experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or higher) between September 2021 and February 2022, including nearly 320,000 people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), an increase of 25 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.  Response in rural areas, particularly on much needed livelihood inputs, is challenged by access constraints, creating potential risks for a rural exodus. Beyond the delivery of humanitarian assistance, focus must immediately be placed on scaling up early recovery and supporting livelihood activities. Rapid Gender Analysis indicates 43 per cent of community leaders and 75 per cent of youth say that [Gender-Based Violence] has increased after the earthquake, while 70 per cent of women and men’s fear of sexual violence has intensified post-earthquake. Around 212,000 people have lost access to safe drinking water services in the aftermath of the earthquake. Gang-related activities intensifies along national road #2, threatening to once again cut off access to the southern peninsula from Port-au-Prince, while fuel shortages and insecurity disrupt the distribution of life-saving relief supplies.”

Source: UNOCHA

Thousands of people are now homeless, and there is an urgent need for shelters, which is hindered by the amount of damage and the pandemic. About 120,000 people require safe water, a high priority because Haiti only recently resolved the 2010 cholera epidemic. Unaccompanied – often orphaned – children are also a significant concern.

There are about 140 hospitals or health centers in the area of impact. It is reported that four were destroyed, and 32 experienced structural damage; 12 of those are extremely damaged. After the earthquake, people waited outside the hospitals to access the care they needed. These hospitals were (and continue to be) short on supplies, including equipment and medicine, because of the volume of need. The most critically injured were transferred to hospitals in Port-au-Prince or other regions of the country.

According to UNICEF, in the Sud Department, “94 of the 255 schools have either sustained damages or been completely destroyed.” In Grand’Anse, 63 schools were destroyed and 39 more sustained damage. Schools were scheduled to reopen on Sept. 7 after being closed for months due to COVID-19. As in many countries, schools in Haiti are not just a place of learning and socialization, but also an opportunity to access health services and nutritional programs.

Critical Needs

The most critical need at this time is an effective and coordinated response that takes into account the lessons learned from the 2010 quake, including those related to secondary disasters, including the Cholera outbreak, sexual assaults and “stuff” being donated. In 2010, donations included breast milk that spoiled, a box of frisbees mailed from Germany, winter clothes, tuxedos and energy drinks. It is estimated that 60% of in-kind donations are wasted.

At this time, the Haitian government has allowed international governments to send resources, search and rescue teams, and damage assessment experts. Delivery and distribution of supplies are hampered by the presence of gangs on the main transportation routes and the conditions of the roads post-earthquake.

In 2010, Haiti was overrun with existing and emergent disaster relief organizations. While many of these organizations did excellent work, on the 5th year anniversary, the Correspondent wrote, “At the peak of the humanitarian response, over 10,000 aid organizations were active in Haiti – that’s one for every 900 people. Exactly how many, no one knows. The result was chaos: redundant efforts, competition, a lack of coordination, oversight and accountability.” CDP maintains a list of recommended NGOs working in Haiti and can discuss options with donors.

According to ACAPS, the key considerations to keep in mind are: “The impact of the earthquake is going to aggravate pre-existing needs and vulnerabilities caused by political instability, recurring violence, food insecurity, and the COVID-19 outbreak. Haiti has high humanitarian constraints. Access has been deteriorating because of the escalating insecurity since the beginning of 2021. Damage to telecommunication networks delays the transmission of information for humanitarian organisations. Roads were damaged, adding a constraint to humanitarian access.”

There are a number of immediate response needs and we can also anticipate long-term needs for recovery:

  • Emergency basic needs including food, shelter, hygiene items, cash assistance, tarps, rebuilding supplies, water, PPE and COVID-19 supplies.
  • Emergency health and psychological first aid are desperate needs. Many of the victims of the 2021 earthquake will also have lived through the 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and will likely require significant mental health and emotional support. There will also need to be psychosocial support for front-line responders – both international and Haitian. Given the loss of a high number of churches, a critical component of Haitian society, emotional disaster spiritual care are also important. With about 10,000 reported injuries in an already under-resourced health system, there is a critical need for medical support including equipment and supplies, medications and human resources – trained staff and disaster health responders. The highest need for physical health will likely be in orthopedics.
  • Protection initiatives to protect everyone’s safety, especially women and girls from violence including gender-based violence. All at-risk populations including the elderly, people living with disabilities, orphaned children need to have protection efforts instituted.
  • Rebuilding will include infrastructure (WASH, electrical, communications, transportation, etc.) and businesses, homes, schools, health facilities and churches. This will be ongoing for many years as there are still people homeless from the 2010 earthquake and 2016’s Hurricane Matthew.
  • Livelihood restoration is also important and will be an ongoing concern. Businesses were destroyed, including some of the hotels in tourist areas, a critical component of the Haitian economy. Given the high levels of existing poverty, there will be a need for the development of new revenue-generating activities.

How To Help

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) launched the CDP Haiti Earthquake Recovery Fund to support the medium- and long-term needs of earthquake-affected people and communities.

DONATE NOW

The United Nations and its partners launched a flash appeal on Aug. 25 to raise $187.3 million, “urgently needed to provide vital relief assistance to more than 800,000 people affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti, including shelter, water and sanitation, emergency healthcare, food, protection and early recovery.” This funding will target 500,000 of the most vulnerable people impacted by the earthquake.

According to UNOCHA: “Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry emphasized, ‘We need efforts for recovery and reconstruction to start in earnest and simultaneously with the humanitarian response.’” They also shared that, “The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Bruno Lemarquis, said, ‘Haiti and its people need the world’s solidarity more than ever today as they deal with multiples crises at the same time. We thank countries who have responded so quickly and generously with personnel and humanitarian aid and we hope they will continue to do so. In the context of this response, moving towards recovery, and taking into account lessons learned from the devastating 2010 earthquake, it will be absolutely essential to support and rally behind national leadership and coordination efforts, support national and local capacities, systems, economic actors, and to build on Haitian knowledge and expertise for a contextualized response.’”

UNOCHA says, “On 10 September, the Government of Japan announced a $3.25 million in Emergency Grant Aid for Haiti to be distributed to WFP, IOM, UNICEF and IFRC. The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), having already contributed $8 million to fund life-saving multi-sectoral response activities, approved an additional $4 million request for Haiti. The CERF allocation will allow for ongoing projects to be scaled up to address needs emerging from multiple simultaneous crises, including $2 million to bolster shelter, logistics and security operations for the earthquake response and $2 million to support the joint Government and UN relocation plan for hundreds of displaced people forced into informal displacement sites due to escalating gang violence in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. Despite ongoing donor support, however, the growth of humanitarian needs continues to surpass the capacities, both human and financial, of humanitarian partners. In recent years, funding shortages to humanitarian response efforts in Haiti have left the needs of millions unmet, continuing to accumulate as the country faces new disasters and emergencies that only exacerbate pre-existing humanitarian needs. The recently launched Flash Appeal comes on top of the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti, which requires $237 million to address pressing humanitarian needs but remains only a third funded with just about $70 million of the required funding received. As the response transitions to a recovery and reconstruction phase, significant resource mobilization is required to kick-start the repair and reconstruction of already fragile critical infrastructure and services with limited coverage even before the quake.”

CDP hosted a webinar on Aug. 19 called “Disaster in a Crisis Zone: Understanding the Impact of Haiti’s Earthquake.” The key takeaways from the speakers were:

  • ‘As local as possible, as international as necessary.’ This humanitarian principle that Sebastian Rhodes Stampa of UNOCHA shared is important to remember. We want to rely on local knowledge and capacities. We want to reinvigorate the local economy as much as possible, and importing goods, especially to an island, can be very expensive or even inappropriate. If the goods exist locally, buy them there. If not, bring them in but think consciously about it – for example, use water buffalos and solar-powered water filtration systems instead of pallets of bottled water.
  • Find and fund local leaders. If you are funding an American-based 501(c)(3) find out who their Haitian partners are and ask about salaries and support. What is the proportion of Haitians to international staff on the team? It is critical to value and elevate local voices and local leaders and equip them with the resources they need to lead their country.
  • Invest in an ecosystem. Aid should be about ending the need for aid. This means taking a wide view and looking at all sectors of society.
  • You’re in a marathon, but it’s still a race. It is important that funders invest in mid- and long-term recovery. People were still homeless before the earthquake, not just from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 but also from the 2010 earthquake. That should not be the situation 11.5 years after a disaster and it’s not what we want to see when we look forward to 2032. At the same time, there are immediate and essential basic needs that require emergency funding.

 
As with most disasters, cash donations are recommended by disaster experts as they allow for on-the-ground agencies to direct funds to the greatest area of need, support economic recovery and ensure donation management does not detract from disaster recovery needs. This is particularly true for small-scale individual donations. In addition to the high costs of transporting supplies and problems with distribution, purchasing locally – when items are available – can help rebuild the local economy. According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, “all needed supplies can be sourced locally.”

If you are a company with goods to donate that meet the needs in Haiti, ensure that you have a recipient organization in Haiti that will be responsible for receiving and distributing supplies. CDP has contacts with several organizations that can receive and distribute large amounts of goods-in-kind including rebuilding supplies, medicine, medical supplies, tents, food, water, lamps, clothing, etc.

CDP has curated a list of responding local and international organizations that have extensive presence in the country. We have based this list on the quality of the organizations, previous history with CDP, reputation, financial due diligence, history in Haiti, and plan of action for response and recovery. It is critical that the organizations work in – or pledge to spend all money in – the impacted area, as not all organizations raising funds work in the southwestern region.

CDP has also created a list of suggestions for foundations to consider related to disaster giving. These include:

  1. Take the long view: Even while focusing on immediate needs, remember that it will take some time for the full range of needs to emerge. Be patient in planning for disaster funding. Recovery will take a long time and funding will be needed throughout.
  2. Recognize there are places private philanthropy can help that government agencies might not: Private funders have opportunities to develop innovative solutions to help prevent or mitigate future disasters that the government cannot execute.
  3. All funders are disaster philanthropists: Even if your organization does not work in a particular geographic area or fund immediate relief efforts, you can look for ways to tie disaster funding into your existing mission. If you focus on education, health, children or vulnerable populations, disasters present prime opportunities for funding.
  4. Ask the experts: If you are considering supporting an organization that is positioned to work in an affected area, do some research. CDP and InterAction can provide resources and guidance about organizations working in affected communities. CDP has a list of vetted organizations and can make recommendations to funders.

Contact

If you are a responding NGO or a donor, please send updates on how you are working in this crisis to [email protected].

If you are a donor looking for recommendations on how to help in this crisis, please email [email protected].

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