Haiti earthquake

WaterAid is deeply saddened by the devastation and loss of life caused by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010.

The international Red Cross estimates that 45,000 to 50,000 people died in the earthquake that struck ten miles from the country’s capital city Port-au-Prince.

A further 300,000 people are thought to have been left homeless. The disaster has caused widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructure, including water supplies and sanitation facilities. Safe water is in short supply, leaving survivors vulnerable to deadly water-related diseases.

There is an urgent need for water purification kits in the short term and work to rehabilitate destroyed water and sanitation systems in the long term.

WaterAid does not currently operate in Haiti and as our specialist focus is on long term sustainable water supply and sanitation in developing countries, we are not equipped to deal directly with disasters of this sort.

If you would like to make a donation in support of relief efforts in Haiti, we recommend visiting the following websites:

• In the US WaterAid is a member of Interaction, an alliance of over 180 organizations working in international development and relief. A number of Interaction members are responding to the Haiti disaster. Visit www.interaction.org for a list of those organizations.
• In the UK, visit the Disasters and Emergencies Committee website at www.dec.org.uk or call 0370 60 60 900.
  

WaterAid works in 26 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Region helping vulnerable communities gain long term, sustainable access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation.

WaterAid does not currently work in the Caribbean but we are considering developing a program in Central America with Nicaragua likely to be the first country where we work. Read more here.