Following the devastating courses of hurricanes Gustav and Hanna in the Caribbean, Telecoms Sans Frontieres deployed Wednesday a team of emergency telecommunications specialist to Haiti. The crew landed in Gonaïves, a city in the North seriously affected by the heavy rains and winds of the successive Hurricanes.
In some parts of Gonaïves, water reached over 3 meters. Reports indicate that telecommunications have been seriously damaged. Compounded with the impact of hurricane Gustav, initial estimates of local authorities indicate that some 153,000 families (650,000 people) might be affected across the country. Storms have killed more than 100 people in Haiti in the last three weeks.
Hispaniola was first drenched by Tropical Storm Fay, before Hurricane Gustav wreaked havoc last week, with torrential rainfall over heavily deforested and hilly terrain causing floods and mudslides.
A second team will leave on Thursday from TSF's headquarters in France to strengthen the organizations operations. TSF's telecoms specialists are carrying mobile satellite data transmitters, phone and fax lines and all the necessary IT equipment to install Emergency Communication Centres.
TSF is deploying at the request of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to support the United Nations UNDAC teams in charge of conducting initial assessments and coordinating humanitarian aid.
TSF can install satellite-based Internet connections and phone lines within minutes so that UNDAC members can communicate right from the disaster zones where local telecommunications have been cut off.
Depending on needs, TSF could also run humanitarian calling operations to offer affected families to give news to their loved ones either in the country or abroad.
This is the fourth time in as many years TSF responds to hurricanes on the island of Hispaniola. Last November, TSF deployed to support the United Nations assessment teams in Santo Domingo after Tropical Storm Noel.
TSF's mission is supported by the Vodafone Group Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, Inmarsat, Eutelsat, Vizada, A and T, Cable and Wireless and the Regional Council of Aquitaine.
