Hurricane Matthew: Handicap International to send support teams in aid of affected population

As hurricane Matthew moves through the Caribbean, Handicap International plans to deploy an emergency team to Haiti in support of teams already present in the field. The team will assess needs and support people affected by the disaster. It is expected to leave within 48 hours, once affected areas become accessible again. 

An initial team of eight will be sent into the field to support teams already present. Handicap International’s response will focus on providing logistics support at the request of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) to help conduct the first situation and humanitarian needs assessments.
“Given the scale of the disaster and its probable impact, some inhabitants may have lost everything and must been given assistance,” explains Hélène Robin, Handicap International’s emergency response manager. “They need emergency material assistance to meet their basic needs.” 
In addition to this support, Handicap International will provide emergency rehabilitation care and psychosocial support to the injured and affected families.

Hurricane Matthew, ranked at Category 4 of the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity, has made landfall on the south-western tip of Haiti, bringing 233 km/h winds.

In Haiti, at least 5 million people may be affected, according to the United Nations and Haiti’s Civil Protection Department. More than 300,000 people  may need immediate assistance. To respond to this emergency, the government has already called on humanitarian actors to provide international assistance. 

The hurricane will hit Cuba on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning (local time).