PORT-AU-PRINCE: Health and security concerns are growing as aid workers struggle to help survivors of the devastating flooding in Haiti, following Tropical Storm Jeanne over last weekend.

More than 1,160 people have died, including over 1,000 people in the city of Gonaives, the worst-hit area, another 1,250 are reported missing, and nearly 1,000 more injured. About 300,000 people are thought to be homeless in the region.

Aid agencies have been struggling to get to people with clean water and food, amid rising tensions from thousands of hungry, thirsty people. As the death toll continues to rise, the desperately poor nation is in shock, with many local and national businesses and community groups channeling their grief by offering donations of money and goods to the relief effort.

As the scale of the disaster has become more evident, with continuing fears for the safety and well-being of survivors, World Vision is working to supplement the relief effort in the city of Gonaives, as well as in the region around the northwestern town of Port-de-Paix.

World Vision Haiti has sent to the Partnership an emergency response proposal totalling US $500,000, to help 5,000 families with emergency supplies. Thank you to WV Canada for US$ 10,000 US, and to WV Australia for US$ 54,000 committed so far.

WV Response:
World Vision Haiti has already donated 500 body bags to the International Red Cross, to help with the disposal of corpses still being pulled from the mud and water.

WV is transporting Saturday 300 emergency family kits (for a family of five) to Gonaives, containing: mattresses, cooking pots, toothbrushes, toothpaste, haircombs, soap, bowls, toilet paper, sanitary towels, water purification tablets, plates, cups, spoons, water containers, washing powder. These kitchen and hygiene items will help survivors to prepare food donated by other agencies, and with personal hygiene to help prevent the spread of diseases.

WV has also purchased - 200,000 plastic bags which are urgently needed at food distribution centres to help separate food.

WV is sending a team of five commodities staff from WV's food aid programme on the island of La Gonave to Gonaives, to help with food distributions. They will work on a seven-day rotation, before being replaced by a second team from the Central Plateau.

An additional 900 emergency family kits (kitchen sets & hygiene) are being purchased and should be ready for distribution to Gonaives (600 kits) and to the North West/Port-de-Paix (300 kits) next week. These kits cost US $60 each. Contents: mattresses, cooking pots, toothbrushes, toothpaste, haircombs, soap, bowls, twater purification tablets, plates, cups, spoons, water containers, washing powder, towels.

WV is waiting for the imminent release for customs of a container of pre-positioning supplies sent from the Global Prepositioning Unit in Denver, and will be delivering the following supplies to flood survivors, in addition to restocking supplies at the National Office and regional offices to enable rapid response to another emergency.

• 1000 blankets, 1500 water containers, 50 Plastic Tarps (4x6m) and water purification tablets to Gonaives
• 300 blankets, 300 cooksets, 500 water containers, 20 Plastic Tarps and water purification tablets to the North West

In addition, prepositioned Gifts-In-Kind is currently at the ADP areas of Posbaiemarose (minor flooding damage) and Cabaret for distribution to flood-affected families in the surrounding areas. GIK includes: adult and children's shoes, T-shirts, trousers, women's blouses, colouring crayons, toothpaste, soap.

WV has also arranged a contract with NGO Clean Water for Haiti, a provider of water filters, for the molds and materials to make 300 bio-sand water filters for Gonaives. Once made, the simple water filters are able to clean one litre of water per minute, for the cost of US$ 40. Given the urgent needs for clean drinking water, this should help minimise the health risks from drinking dirty water.