The acting Humanitarian Coordinator expresses his deep concern at the severe rainfall in Haiti and reiterates the humanitarian community's solidarity with the Haitian people

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 5 June 2023: Heavy rain fell across Haiti on Saturday 3 June following the formation of a low-pressure system which remained stationary over the country throughout the day.

The provisional toll from the torrential flooding and landslides is over 37,000 affected people (including almost 13,400 displaced persons), 15 deaths, 8 missing persons and over 1,200 flooded houses. Numerous infrastructures, schools and health centres were damaged in the Ouest, Nippes, Sud-Est, Nord-Ouest and Centre departments. The Ouest and Nord-Ouest departments were the most affected.

The Directorate General for Civil Protection activated the National Emergency Operations Centre. Humanitarian partners have been mobilised to respond to the most urgent needs, particularly in the areas of shelter, drinking water, hygiene, and food security. "Although this is not a cyclone nor a tropical storm, considerable damage was observed in the affected areas. The humanitarian community is working alongside national institutions to assist the affected people", said Jean-Martin Bauer, Haiti's acting humanitarian coordinator.

1 June marks the start of the hurricane season in Haiti, at a time when the country is facing a major humanitarian crisis. Almost half the population - or 5.2 million people – is in need of humanitarian assistance, a figure that has doubled in just five years. Humanitarian partners are aiming to reach 3.2 million people in need this year, with a funding requirement of 720 million dollars. This is the largest appeal since the devastating earthquake of 2010 - and more than double the amount requested in 2022.

"I am particularly concerned by this situation at a time when the Haitian population is already highly vulnerable", said Mr Bauer. The humanitarian response plan is still underfunded with only 20% of the necessary budget received. I call donors to show solidarity with the Haitian people and ensure funding for this plan, which will be critical in responding to these floods and preparing for future weather events."

Find out more on how to support the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti : Haïti – Humanitarian Response Plan 2023 | ReliefWeb