Crisis overview
At least 20% of Haiti’s territory has been impacted by Hurricane Matthew (Handicap International 6/10/2016). Widespread landslides and flooding have been reported in all coastal areas, as well as in the interior of the affected departments (OSOCC 06/10/2016; UNITAR 11/10/2016; UNEP 11/10/2016). Sud, Grand’Anse and Nippes departments are the mostaffected. In total, 2,128,700 people, or 12% of Haiti’s population, have been affected, including 894,100 children (OCHA 12/10/2016).
According to the latest government figures, 1,410,900 people, including 592,600 children, are in need of humanitarian aid, of which 750,000, including 315,000, are severely in need (OCHA 11/10/2016). At least 175,500 have been evacuated or displaced and housed in 224 temporary shelters (OCHA 12/10/2016). So far, at least 1,000 people have been reported dead but the death toll is still expecting to rise as access to worst-affected areas is improving (Al Jazeera 10/10/2016).140,880 people were already affected by flooding before the hurricane, especially in Nord and Ouest departements (OCHA 15/09/2016).
So far the focus of the response has been on coastal areas, but reports suggests that the destruction and the needs are even greater further inland. There is a risk of people moving into evacuation centres if assistance does not reach people in mountainous areas, which would aggravate the shelter situation in city centres (UNEP 11/10/2016).