IOM has delivered replacement tarps and new tents to families
inundated by recent rains in Haiti and is continuing its efforts to
minimize flooding in camps occupied by earthquake victims since
2010.

The downpours caused mudslides and floods bringing untold misery
to the half million or so still homeless from the 2010 quake. "This
could only be the beginning of what we fear will be a long and
difficult rainy season," said IOM Haiti Chief of Mission Luca
Dall'Oglio.

Many are living in homemade shelters constructed from plastic
sheeting or in tents that are rotten and leaking. Many camps are
continuously flooded, bringing mud, standing water and sanitation
risks to the population. Life for families forced to live in these
camps is uncomfortable and often unsafe.

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the Rains, Relief and Hope

Ahead of the rainy season and the coming hurricane season, IOM
established a monitoring system for members of vigilance committees
in camps. This makes camps more resilient and ensures rapid
reporting of urgent needs to the humanitarian community.

The government of Haiti's Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC)
also has a large team of specialists trained in camp management and
emergency response who liaise with camp residents.

The size of camps in Haiti ranges from a few hundred tents and
shelters to camps housing over 50,000 people. Many are located in
low lying areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides.

Initial assessments over the past two days showed that 2,456
families were affected by this week's rain and 489 needed immediate
help with replacement tents and tarps to make their shelters safer
and waterproof.

IOM delivered 36 tents and tarps provided by the British NGO
Shelterbox to families in need of immediate assistance in Te Roche
camp. They were distributed by the elected president of the camp
and erected by camp residents who took advantage of a respite from
the rain to dry out clothing.

In other affected camps, interventions included emergency canal
dredging to alleviate flooding, and distribution of materials to
prevent floodwater entering tents.

"It underscores the need to speed up solutions to get these
vulnerable people out of tents and into safer houses, as we are
already doing in a number of camps. The half dozen camps closed
under the government-led and donor-supported programme needs to be
scaled up and that is going to require more funding," said
Dall'Oglio.

For more information please contact:

Leonard Doyle

IOM Haiti

Tel: + 509 3702 5066

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