Hurricane Matthew - Desperate need for emergency aid
Hurricane Matthew is the most powerful storm to hit Haiti in generations,
destroying homes and communities in it path.
The Category 4 hurricane struck Haiti on Tuesday October 4, causing massive destruction to the already vulnerable country.
It is estimated that 350,000 people are in of need assistance and over 14,500 people have been evacuated to emergency shelters in Haiti alone. These numbers are expected to rise significantly.
A United Nations official in Haiti, Mourad Wahba, described the storm as "the largest humanitarian event" in the country since the earthquake that struck the country in 2010. The death toll is nearing 1000, while an estimated 90% of buildings have been levelled in the south of the country.
Even though the storm has passed in Haiti, the devastation and destruction is not yet over. Communities are experiencing flash-flooding and mudslides that continue to rip houses apart and put families at risk of waterborne diseases like cholera.
The storm moved north through Cuba and the Bahamas with max wind speeds of 230 km/h, causing 3 metre tidal surges and more than one metre of rainfall in some communities. Hurricane Matthew is now hitting the east coast of the United States.
ShelterBox has aid stored in Haiti and Panama and a ShelterBox Response Team, including Canadian SRT Andre Bloemink, has arrived in Haiti to begin assessments. The team has been in contact with the Rotarian Haiti Disaster Chair and will arrive in Haiti on Friday October 7 to begin assessing how we can assist the families devastated by Hurricane Matthew.
We believe that no family should be without shelter, and our teams will go to the ends of the earth to support communities who need it.
As a Rotary Project Partner, ShelterBox remains the best Rotary way to support the families affected by disaster around the world. Rotary Clubs from coast to coast continue to make the work we do possible, 365 days a year.
ShelterBox is committed to the families affected by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and throughout the region, and to other disasters around the world, but we can't do it alone. We need your help.
Thank you so much for your continued support of ShelterBox Canada, our work would not be possible without the dedication of Rotary Clubs across the country.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Christensen
Executive Director, ShelterBox Canada
