Haiti is still reeling after getting hit in rapid succession by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake quickly followed by a strong storm. Heavy rains across the region are delaying flights carrying urgent humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable.
The earthquake has been followed by constant aftershocks, and so far, the disaster has claimed the lives of more than 2100 people and injured more than12,000. Hundreds of people are still missing. Preliminary estimates show that more than 52,000 homes have been destroyed.
Meanwhile, Haiti has been experiencing civil unrest since July 2018. Protests continue to erupt in cities across the country due to increases in cost of living, government corruption, and high inflation. Gang activity has flourished and the recent assassination of the country’s President on July 7, 2021, adds complexity to this emergency.
Before the earthquake, hospitals were already full, and Haiti has not yet received any vaccine delivery.