Haiti: Post-Hurricane Conditions and Assistance

Haiti: Post-Hurricane Conditions and
Assistance
Maureen Taft-Morales and Mark P. Sullivan
Specialists in Latin American Affairs
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
In August and September 2008, four major storms directly hit or passed close to
Haiti, causing widespread devastation. As of early October, 2008, the U.S. government
has either provided or pledged just over $30 million in humanitarian assistance to
affected Haitian populations in response to the hurricanes in Haiti. Congress provided
not less than $100 million for hurricane relief and reconstruction assistance for Haiti and
other Caribbean countries in the FY2009 continuing appropriations resolution (P.L. 110-
329) signed into law September 30, 2008. The Haitian government says it needs $400
million over the next 18 months for hurricane recovery and reconstruction, and that so
far the international community has committed $145 million. For more information, see
CRS Reports RL34687, The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act, by J. F. Hornbeck;
CRS Report RS22879, Haiti: Legislative Responses to the Food Crisis and Related
Development Challenges, by Clare Ribando Seelke and J. F. Hornbeck; CRS Report
RS21349, U.S. Immigration Policy on Haitian Migrants, by Ruth Ellen Wasem; and
CRS Report RS20844, Temporary Protected Status: Current Immigration Policy and
Issues, by Ruth Ellen Wasem and Karma Ester.
Current Conditions
Since August, four major storms have directly struck or passed close to Haiti, killing
hundreds and affecting hundreds of thousands of people. The storms have caused
flooding in all ten of the country’s departments. Tropical Storm Fay struck Haiti on
August 16 while Hurricane Gustav struck on August 26 with heavy rains and winds. In
the first days of September, Tropical Storm Hanna brought more torrential rain, causing
floods as deep as almost ten feet in Gonaives. Hurricane Ike did not directly strike Haiti,
but significantly increased water levels in areas that were already flooded. Overall, almost

500 people have died.

Haiti was already experiencing a food crisis; the impact of the storms has greatly
exacerbated the problem, mainly due to flooding. The storms destroyed approximately

one-third of the country’s rice crop. Haiti’s rice crop is essentially used for domestic
consumption, and reportedly is a lifeline for many Haitians.¹ Livestock, other crops,
seeds, and farm equipment were destroyed as well. The storms hit during harvest season,
meaning that farmers will not have capital from this crop to reinvest in future crops.
Some observers worry that additional food shortages and price increases could again lead
to riots, like the ones in April of this year that killed several people and contributed to the
dismissal of the Prime Minister.
Table 1. Impact of the 2008 Hurricanes
(as of October 21, 2008)
Total Affected Population826,685
Dead793
Missing310
Internally Displaced151,072
Persons
Internally Displaced35,000 - 40,000
Persons in Shelters
Houses Destroyed22,702
Houses Damaged84,625
Source: USAID Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, Office of
US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID, DCHA/OFDA), “Haiti - Storms, Fact Sheet #3,
FY2009,” October 21, 2008.
Nearly 70% of the internally displaced persons living in shelters in the wake of the
storms were in the Department of Artibonite, known as Haiti’s rice bowl. In the
departmental capital of Gonaives, at least 80% of the city’s 300,000 residents were
affected. Nearly half of those affected by the storm are reportedly children. Almost half
of the shelters across the country are located in schools. The Haitian Ministry of
Education is working with international organizations to clean and rehabilitate schools
and find alternative shelters. The number of internally displaced people living in shelters
dropped from just over 111,000 in mid-September to an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 in
mid-October. Nonetheless, some schools will share their space with displaced people
until they are able to return to their homes. Moreover, many families who have lost their
homes and possessions will not be able to afford school costs for their children. Even
though damage to schools delayed the start of the school year by over a month, the UN
World Food Program has already resumed school feeding programs throughout most of
the country.²

¹ Frances Robles and Jacqueline Charles, “Storm Victims Left Hungry in Caribbean,” Miami
Herald, September 17, 2008.
² U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “Situation Report #13, Haiti:
Tropical Storm Hanna, Gustav, Ike Update,” September 17, 2008; Report #21, October 9, 2008,
(continued...)

Prior to the storms, the Haitian Office for Disaster Preparedness issued warnings
through radio and television, although not all citizens have access to those media. After
the storms, the Haitian government declared eight departments to be under a state of
emergency, allowing for the release of extra funding from the national budget for relief
efforts in those areas. The government is coordinating emergency response through the
Civilian Protection Unit of the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry of the Interior is
coordinating the distribution of relief assistance, working with the United Nations
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the Red Cross, and a U.S. ship with hospital
capability, the USS Kearsarge, all of which are providing helicopters for delivering food
and water aid to remote and inaccessible areas. The Minister of Finance has lifted
regulations on incoming aid for several months so that disaster relief assistance will not
be subject to the usual customs delays. All government ministers were dispatched around
the country to help assess needs and compose lists of assistance requirements for
international donors.
U.S. Disaster Assistance to Haiti
The U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Janet Sanderson, issued a disaster declaration on
September 2, 2008, in response to the flooding throughout the country caused by
Hurricane Gustav. Subsequently, U.S. officials from the State Department, USAID, and
the Department of Defense (DOD) met with Haitian President René Préval, who said that
infrastructure and transportation were key priorities; many roads and bridges were washed
away or heavily damaged by the storms. Préval also requested general assistance for the
next six months.
As of October 21, 2008, the U.S. government has either provided or pledged over
$31 million in humanitarian assistance to affected Haitian populations in response to the
storms. This includes:
^!$10 million, USAID/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
(OFDA), including support to the American Red Cross, the International
Organization for Migration, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the Pan American Health
Organization;
^!$14 million, USAID/Food for Peace (FFP) assistance provided through
the U.N. World Food Program;
^!$5 million, USAID/Haiti assistance, re-directing regular U.S. foreign aid
funding toward food and other humanitarian assistance;
^!$2.6 million, Department of Defense assistance (helicopter transport);
and
^!(still to be determined), Department of Homeland Security, for Coast
Guard transportation and logistics.³

² (...continued)
and USAID, DCHA/OFDA, “Haiti - Storms, Fact Sheet #3, FY2009,” October 21, 2008.
³ USAID, DCHA/OFDA, “Haiti - Storms, Fact Sheet #3, FY2009,” October 21, 2008. For latest
update, see “Haiti” at USAID’s Disaster Assistance site: [http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/
humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/] .

USAID’s OFDA also authorized the deployment of a three-member support team to
Haiti to supplement a U.N. disaster team based in the city of Gonaives. The USS
Kearsarge has delivered almost 2 million pounds of supplies, with supplies ferried by
helicopters and boats to affected areas.⁴ OFDA has been providing assistance in disaster
preparedness and mitigation, including training in disaster management, to the Caribbean
since 1991. From FY2005 to FY2007, OFDA worked in conjunction with the UN
Development Program to reduce the risks faced by vulnerable Haitian populations due to
natural hazards.
A number of observers, including some Members of Congress, are calling for
significantly more assistance to help Haiti in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Representative Maxine Waters has called for at least $300 million in appropriations in
assistance for Haiti.⁵ The FY2009 continuing resolution signed into law on September
30, 2008 (P.L. 110-329) provides not less than $100 million for hurricane relief and
reconstruction assistance for Haiti and other Caribbean countries subject to prior
consultation with, and the regular notification procedures of, the Committees on
Appropriations.
At a hearing of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere on “Hurricanes
in Haiti: Disaster and Recovery” on September 23, 2008, several Members of Congress
called for the Administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians living
in the United States to give Haiti time to deal with the effects of the recent hurricanes.
Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States, Raymond Joseph, maintains that his country is
ill-prepared to receive deportees.⁶ Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Deputy
Assistant Secretary Kirsten Madison said the State Department had not made a
recommendation, but did not wish to encourage an exodus of Haitians from the island to
the U.S. by granting TPS, saying that could create another humanitarian disaster. The
State Department also noted that the final decision lies with the Department of Homeland
Security. Members expressed concerns that the devastation from the storms, if
insufficiently addressed, could lead to famine and widespread waterborne diseases, which
in turn could contribute to an increase in the number of Haitians fleeing their country.
International Disaster Assistance to Haiti
Haitian Ambassador Joseph stated at a Capitol Hill forum on September 18 that Haiti
would need $400 million over the next 18 months for hurricane recovery and
reconstruction, and that so far the international community had committed $145 million.
It is unclear how much of the $400 million reflects short-term humanitarian needs as
opposed to longer-term development needs. At the request of the Haitian government,
the World Bank and other international partners are conducting a Post-Disaster Needs
Assessment that will be the basis for early recovery and strategic planning for Haiti.

⁴ Jacqueline Charles, “Miami Sends Storm Relief to Haiti,” Miami Herald, September 19, 2008.
⁵ Congressional Record, September 15, 2008, p. H8110.
⁶ Lesley Clark, “Rep. Meek: Let Haitians Stay in U.S.,” Miami Herald, September 12, 2008; For
additional information on TPS, see CRS Report RS20844, Temporary Protected Status: Current
Immigration Policy and Issues, by Ruth Ellen Wasem and Karma Ester.

In the aftermath of the hurricanes, the U.N. OCHA issued an international flash
appeal for $108 million for Haiti’s recovery. As of October 23, contributions and
commitments of funds amounted to almost $25 million, while another $16.9 million has
been pledged, but not yet committed, by the United States, the European Union, and 12
other countries — Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Austria,
Luxembourg, Ireland, Greece, Andorra, Italy, and the Netherlands. The aid is channeled
through a variety of U.N. agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
the International Organization for Migration (IOM), U.N. Development Program (UNDP),
and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The U.S. contribution equals 42.8%
of that funding.
MINUSTAH is also helping to coordinate disaster assistance, providing support for
relief deliveries, and has been involved in rescuing Haitians from the floods. In addition
to assistance contributed to the flash appeal, OCHA reports that another $25 million in
humanitarian assistance has been pledged or provided by the United States and other
countries and international organizations.⁷
Legislation in the 110^th Congress
P.L. 110-329 (H.R. 2638). Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing
Appropriations Act, 2009. Provides not less than $100 million for hurricane relief and
reconstruction assistance for Haiti and other Caribbean countries subject to prior
consultation with, and the regular notification procedures of, the Committees on
Appropriations. Introduced June 8, 2007, signed into law September 30, 2008.
H.R. 522 (Hastings). Would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate
Haiti as a country whose qualifying nationals may be eligible for temporary protected
status for an initial 18-month period. Introduced January17, 2007, referred to House
Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border
Security, and International Law February2, 2007.
H.Con.Res. 438 (Lee). Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to providing
humanitarian assistance to countries of the Caribbean devastated by Hurricanes Gustav
and Ike and Tropical Storms Fay and Hanna. Introduced and referred to the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs September 27, 2008.

⁷ Donor funding is listed, and continually updated, at
[ h t t p : / / www.r e l i e f web.i nt / r w/ f t s.ns f / doc105?OpenFor m&r c=2&cc=ht i ] .