Water Is Flowing, Toughest Emergency Ever-Oxfam

Water Is Flowing, Toughest Emergency Ever, Oxfam Says

Safe drinking water is flowing again at Oxfam’s water sites in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince today as fuel supplies make their way through from neighbouring Dominican Republic.

Relief efforts have been hampered by the shortage of fuel; however, trucks have been able to resume transporting water to thousands of earthquake survivors staying in displaced camps. Oxfam has constructed water sites with large 10,000litre water bladders and taps stands for people to fill up water containers from.

Water trucks were able to deliver water to Oxfam sites in Carrefour district, one of the worst hit areas near the quake’s epicentre, and two sites in Petionville where an estimated 50,000 people are sleeping in makeshift shelters.

“Water is a key element for survivors. Fuel is the big obstacle to delivering that water, but we are able to get water through at the moment,” says Yolette Etienne, Oxfam’s Country Director in Haiti.

“Each day more and more aid is getting to people as the aid effort gears up.”

Forty tonnes of water and sanitation equipment, as well as trucks carrying fuel have arrived in Haiti from Oxfam’s operations base in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. A further 50 tonnes of aid is on its way.

A humanitarian corridor has been established from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince to enable ease of aid delivery and fuel via road.

Although aid is beginning to get through, the impact of the earthquake on Oxfam’s Haitian and international staff, the logistical challenges combined with a destroyed office and warehouse and the loss of communications have made this the one of the hardest responses the agency has ever mounted.

The agency lost two employees and most of its staff have endured harrowing personal losses as a result of the quake. Most of Oxfam's staff had their homes damaged or destroyed and are sleeping outside like the rest of the Haitian population.

Etienne added: “Many of my staff here have lost their homes, and some have had family losses. Two Oxfam members of staff were killed when the quake struck and I lost my own mother. But we are still here working. I told my staff that we have no choice, no other option but to work and to work harder since we have the privilege of still being here and we can help people to overcome their desperation.”

To donate to Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Response please call 0800 400 666 (24hours), to make an automatic $20 donation call 0900 600 20 or visit www.oxfam.org.nz to donate online.

For more information please visit www.oxfam.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media