Last week, a standard early-fall storm swept through the city of Port-au-Prince. In a span of 10 minutes, the strong winds damaged thousands of tents, injured many, and killed at least 5 people. With most of the quake’s 1.5 million homeless survivors still living in sprawling tent cities, the heavy rainfall left them at a dangerous public health crossroad. The precarious water supply is forcing many to drink from the rainwater flowing from gutters and sewers. Hence, more people will be fighting deadly waterborne diseases.
A spokeswoman with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stressed the importance of providing clean water to those affected by the storm, “Our big concern is shelter with damage to tents, water and sanitation.”
Without a doubt, International Action is mobilizing our staff and resources to provide clean water for those affected by the storm. We are determined to stop more casualties from preventable, water-borne diseases, like chronic diarrhea, hepatitis, cholera, and typhoid during the rainy season. We’ve instructed our staff in Haiti to direct their attention to the specific areas and population affected by the storm. We are distributing clean water in those specific target areas. Moreover, we will install water tanks and chlorinator systems in those communities. Lastly, we will distribute albendazole pills to reduce and control worm-induced illness.