Over the past 48 hours, IOM Haiti has provided essential non-food
aid to impoverished residents of the West and South West
departments, which bore the brunt of the damage caused by hurricane
Gustav.

The aid consisting of 1,500 hygiene kits and 1,500 cotton sheets
was distributed by IOM teams to vulnerable individuals and families
in Petit Goâve, Grand Goâve and remote coastal areas
west of Les Cayes. The distribution was undertaken in coordination
with local Haitian Civil Protection partner NGOs.

"The damage done to houses and infrastructure is significant,
but it is the agricultural sector that has once again been most
badly hit," says IOM's Monique Van Hoof, who took part in an aerial
damage assessment of affected areas.

"Gustav has further affected communities that suffered from
tropical storm Fay, which hit this area a couple of weeks ago.
These people are desperately poor, so damage to their crops is
something that will be difficult for them to cope with," she
adds.

According to Haiti's National Director of Civil Protection, 76
people died as a result of the hurricane. Some 2,100 houses were
destroyed and another 8,150 damaged. An estimated 7,200 people are
now living in temporary shelters, including churches, community
centres and schools.

IOM is looking into ways to help the displaced population to
return home, particularly those sheltering in schools, which will
need to be vacated by the beginning of the school year on September
8th.

With this year's hurricane season now in full swing, Haiti could
expect more storms and heavy rains in the coming months.

For more information, please contact:

Monique Van Hoof

IOM Port au Prince

Tel: +509 3702 38 47

E-mail: "mailto:mvanhoof@iom.int">mvanhoof@iom.int