With large numbers of people displaced in earthquake-affected Haiti
and logistical constraints hampering the distribution of aid to
victims, plans are now underway to establish a large temporary
settlement that would both provide shelter for the homeless and
facilitate comprehensive aid delivery.

The scale of the damage has imposed severe constraints on
delivering food, non-food, medical, water and sanitation assistance
to hundreds of thousands of people in urgent need.

IOM, which is coordinating the shelter and non-food emergency
relief that it and other humanitarian actors are providing, is
working with the Haitian government and other partners to identify
possible sites.

A technical assessment mission was carried out on 17 January by
IOM, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and Haitian
government officials at Croix des Bouquets, about 13 kilometres
northeast of Port-au-Prince, to gauge its suitability as a possible
location for a settlement. Further assessments will be carried out
today with the aim of not just setting up a temporary settlement
but also to begin construction of new houses with funding from the
IADB.

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a Donation Help Haiti's Earthquake Victims "12" hspace="0" src=
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style="margin-left: 7px;">  "paragraph-link-no-underline" href="http://www.usaim.org" target=
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Countries "12" hspace="0" src=
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style="margin-left: 7px;">  "paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"http://ochadms.unog.ch/quickplace/cap/main.nsf/h_Index/Flash_2010_Haiti/$FILE/Flash_2010_Haiti_SCREEN.pdf?OpenElement"
target="_blank" title="">Haiti Earthquake Flash Appeal
2010

"The initial idea is to move an estimated 100,000 displaced
individuals to this site, to get people out of the most dangerous
areas," explains Vincent Houver, IOM Chief of Mission in
Haiti.  "But wherever possible, IOM advocates for smaller
sized settlements," Houver adds.

There are an estimated three million affected individuals
throughout the country and a large majority of spontaneous
settlements established in hazardous conditions.

The large settlement approach, agreed to by the Haitian
government, will require extensive support from the international
donor community.

Meanwhile, IOM and partners that include Haiti's Civil
Protection Department and the Ministry of Social Affairs,
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,
(IFRC), Concern Worldwide, CRS, Save the Children, OXFAM, ACTED,
CARE, UN-HABITAT, are working round the clock to provide immediate
support to an estimated one million people. Assistance includes the
repair and cleaning of temporary shelters and damaged private
houses, and the provision of non-food items.

Today, kitchen kits and bottled water, the priority need among
victims, will be distributed at various locations in the capital
today.

Yesterday, IOM distributed hygiene kits at Parc la Primature and
Villa Créole to several thousands of people. It followed
several distributions since 15 January of tarpaulins, plastic
sheeting, jerry cans, bladders, and some shelter material in
Port-au-Prince taken from IOM's pre-positioned stocks in the
country.

Further distributions were carried out at Jacquemel, to the
south of the capital, where scores of houses and buildings were
also reduced to rubble.

An IOM team is also assessing needs in the town of Petit
Goâve, a coastal town 68 kilometres south of Port-au-Prince
and which too was severely damaged by the earthquake.

With many people leaving the capital to seek shelter in other
parts of the country, and following assessments in places like
Petit Goâve, IOM and partners will carry out further
distributions outside of Port-au-Prince shortly.

However, IOM's stocks of pre-positioned non-food items are
decreasing rapidly. Despite taking delivery of thousands of hygiene
kits, ten-litre water containers, kitchen sets, two mobile water
treatment units, tents and cots from the US government's Office of
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and USAID at the weekend, much
more is needed quickly to meet needs.

IOM requested an initial US$30 million last week as part of the
UN's Consolidated Flash Appeal to provide shelter and non-food
assistance.  So far IOM has received US$ 7 million from
OFDA/USAID, US$ 1.2 million from the UN Central Emergency Response
Fund (CERF) and US$50,000 from Argos Cement Company of Colombia.
However, as the situation evolves, the Organization will be
revising its appeal. 

Private donations can be made to IOM through the IOM website at
"http://www.iom.int/">www.iom.int and in the United States at
"http://www.usaim.org/PROJECTHaiti.asp">http://www.usaim.org/PROJECTHaiti.asp

For further information, please contact:

Jean Philippe Chauzy

IOM Geneva

Tel: + 41 22 717 9361

       + 41 79 285 4366 

Email: "mailto:pchauzy@iom.int">pchauzy@iom.int

or

Jemini Pandya

IOM Geneva

Tel: + 41 22 717 9486

       + 41 79 217 3374

Email: "mailto:jpandya@iom.int">jpandya@iom.int