Members of a Salvation Army team work to assess needs in Haiti following the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck on 14 August.
In Aquin, a city of more than 100,000 people, at least 860 houses collapsed completely, with around 3,500 other houses showing signs of significant damage. Thirteen people lost their lives and another 100 were injured. Almost 5,000 families are reported by the local authorities to be ‘in difficulty’, which equates to up to a quarter of the entire city. Most churches and municipal buildings have been destroyed or damaged, including the police station, hospital and schools.
The Salvation Army’s initial approach in Haiti will be to target its response in Aquin and eight other locations. In each, at least 250 families – more than 1,000 people – will be provided with a tarpaulin, blankets, hygiene kits (including soap, diapers/nappies, sanitary items, toothbrushes and toothpaste, disinfectant and hand sanitiser), drinking water and basic food items such as rice, peas and cooking oil.
Further locations will be provided with essential emergency supplies as global shipping and logistics services provider UPS generously supported the relief efforts by freighting supplies from The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services warehouse in Florida, USA to a distribution hub in Haiti.
