NATURAL DISASTERS / CIVIL UNREST & VIOLENCE IN HAITI

In September 2004, Ivan and Jeanne, two hurricanes, combined left Haiti severely damaged. Flooding caused significant damage in several areas of the country as a result of Hurricane Ivan, but the destruction was only getting started. Jeanne then made landfall. This storm’s route crossed western Haiti and the Artibonite, resulting in severe flooding that killed 3,000 people, injured thousands more, and forced over 300,000 people from their homes. Hit Gonaves, a coastal city, was particularly heavily hit because the hurricane affected 80% of its residents.

Haiti was repeatedly struck by a succession of tropical storms and hurricanes in August and September of 2008. Each time one struck, the harm caused by the prior one was increased. When Tropical Storm Fey first made landfall, it devastated the whole nation. Only 10 days later, Hurricane Gustav slammed the south peninsula, killing several people and seriously damaging a lot of property. Hurricane Hanna hit the northeastern regions of Haiti a few days later on September 1st, resulting in significant flooding. Finally, Hurricane Ike struck Haiti’s western shore six days later, bringing with it torrential rainfall and flooding.

The earthquakes in January 2010 killed over 300,000 people in the impacted districts, making them the deadliest natural disasters to hit Haiti in generations. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred on January 12th close to the town of Léogâne. In the area, there was extensive devastation, and crucial infrastructure and services were totally destroyed. The humanitarian situation worsened as a result of the collapse of numerous hospitals and other aid facilities. As a result of the accident, nearly 30,000 commercial buildings were so seriously damaged that they needed to be demolished. Since many schools and the three main institutions in Port-au-Prince were immediately impacted by the earthquake, the event caused a backlog in Haiti’s educational system.

The last significant hurricane to hit Haiti in 2016 was Matthew, and it was also one of the worst. Hurricane Matthew, a category 4 storm, killed individuals and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes while also wreaking catastrophic damage on Haiti’s infrastructure and agricultural sector. Despite being the strongest hurricane to hit Haiti since 1964, the country suffered far worse flooding and destruction as a result of recent deforestation and soil erosion. The total cost of the damages was projected to be $1.9 billion. Many sections of Haiti have partially recovered thanks to emergency assistance from the UN, but there is still much work to be done.

September 2022 in Haiti, Port-au-Prince Civil unrest and armed conflict Hundreds of thousands of people have been impacted by Haiti’s most recent spike in violence and unrest. Children are being hurt in this crossfire.  20% of children under the age of five are malnourished in Cite Soleil, the capital’s largest urban impoverished district. Because relief organizations can’t get to them with life-saving supplies, this new cycle of violence puts their lives in peril. Over 250,000 students in Haiti’s Southern Peninsula still lack access to a sufficient education more than a year after a massive earthquake devastated or destroyed much of the area.

Potable water access is frequently impeded. Due to shuttered distribution centers and blocked access highways, access to basic food supplies has also become challenging. Children are subjected to violence on the route to school, educators are harassed with extortion, and gangs break into schools and loot the buildings.