Over 1.2 Million Haitians Affected by Earthquake: UNICEF

On Tuesday, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that 1.2 million people, including 540,000 children, have been impacted by the powerful earthquake that hit this Caribbean country on Saturday.

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To make things worse, the hardest-hit departments of Haiti are now being drenched by Tropical Depression Grace, which is further disrupting access to water, shelter, and other basic services. Flooding and mudslides are likely to worsen the situation of vulnerable families and further complicate the humanitarian response.

“Last night, I saw strong winds and heavy rainfall strike the same areas already affected by the earthquake,” said Bruno Maes, UNICEF’s Representative in Haiti.

“Countless Haitian families who have lost everything due to the earthquake are now living literally with their feet in the water due to the flooding.”

Search and rescue efforts are under way, with official reports of over 1,939 deaths and 9,900 injured citizens. Over 84,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed, along with public infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and bridges, according to data from the Haitian Civil Protection Agency.

On Wednesday, a UNICEF truck delivered six medical kits to three hospitals in Les Cayes, with enough supplies, including gloves, painkillers, antibiotics and syringes, to treat 30,000 earthquake victims over three months.

This UN agency will need US$15 million to respond to the most urgent needs of at least 385,000 people, including 167,000 children under the age of 5, for a period of eight weeks. This initial funding requirement will be adjusted in the coming weeks as the impact on children and families becomes clearer.