Salvation Army in Haiti Responds to Freak Thunderstorm (Update 27 September)

THE Salvation Army in Haiti is responding quickly after a freak thunderstorm hit Port-au-Prince on Friday 24 September. The city was battered by hurricane-force winds and torrential rain. More than a million people are still living in makeshift shelters around the city following the January earthquake so the immediate concern was for loss of life and injury in the camps. Early reports say that in one camp five people were killed and many injured.

An assessment at the Place de la Paix camp managed by The Salvation Army indicated no loss of life but many injuries and a large number of shelters damaged or destroyed. The camp is currently home to around 13,000 people. Captain Monael Many, the camp management director, has been in contact with the camp committee and together they are seeking to identify the families hardest hit by the storm.

A shipment of tents from The Salvation Army's Canada and Bermuda Territory was scheduled to arrive in April but was delayed and only released from the port on the day of the storm. In fact, Brian Burditt, the territory's world mission consultant and former director of the world mission and development office, was in Port-au-Prince and witnessed the storm. He is pleased the tents have arrived and has agreed that they can be distributed to those affected by the storm.

It is hoped that by today (Monday 27 September) procedures will be in place to begin distribution of tents in The Salvation Army's camp.