Haiti's rainy season begins in March, barely two weeks away. Hurricane season is from June to November. There are an estimated 1.2 million internally displaced people living in cramped quarters, held up by bed sheets, wood and string. The fancier encampments have plastic sheeting to keep out the rain. And when it rains it Haiti, it pours. Haiti is prone to flooding and has a history of mud slides.
In the short term, plastic sheeting is a must for all tent city dwellers; but come June, people will need more durable structures to protect them from the rain and fend off forceful winds. Without permanent housing or hurricane shelters it will not take much for the wind and rain to literally wash people away. The urgency can not be understated. A concerted and coordinated effort by the Haitian government, UN, NGO community and foreign governments needs to be made to protect this highly vulnerable population.
Time is short, the rain will come.
No comments:
Post a Comment