Plan responds to Haiti earthquake crisis

This map shows Plan program areas affected by the earthquake

10.30am

CHILDREN'S organisation Plan International has released $US100,000 of emergency funds to help deal with the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.

The international 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.

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

Plan has numerous programs in Haiti in Health, Education, Nutrition and Household Economic Security that reach over 43,000 affiliated children and their communities.

There are about 143 Plan staff in Haiti, all of whom are now working on responding to the crisis.

Australians wishing to donate money to help Plan’s response in Haiti can do so via Plan’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

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.

In many areas of Haiti Plan International is one of the few organisations with a permanent presence. One example is in Jacmel, an area that appears to be badly hit by the earthquake, including damage to the Plan office.

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.

Roger Yates, Plan’s global 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. Ensuring children are protected and emotionally supported will also be a key activity. Addressing the emotional and mental impact upon people, which is not as obvious, will need to be a crucial element of this response.”

“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.”


ENDS

Editor's notes:

Plan staff in Melbourne will have more information from Haiti in the coming hours. For interviews with Plan International Australia disaster staff and senior management, contact:

David Cook
Media Officer
Plan International Australia
Mobile: 0448 816 900
Email: david.cook@plan.org.au

Plan staff are available for comment in Haiti but access to satellite communications is limited. For requests, please contact:

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

The following Plan staff are now available for comment:

Dr Unni Krishnan (En route to Haiti). He has extensive experience of earthquake response in India, Iran, China and Kashmir and work in Haiti, and is an acknowledged expert in psychosocial support.
+44 (0) 7964 195563; Satellite phone + 881 641 463 251
unni.krishnan@plan-international.org


Roger Yates (London), International 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, Ouanamin, Trou-du-Nord.