Haiti rocked by Tropical Storm Isaac

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AID workers are battling to get emergency supplies to Haitians hit by Tropical Storm Isaac - says children's charity Plan International.

Heavy rains and wild winds have battered the Caribbean island, which is still recovering from a devastating earthquake.

Around 400,000 people are still living in camps, after more than one million people were made homeless and thousands were killed in the 2010 disaster.

"Tents in the camps for displaced people have blown away and roofs have blown off houses," says Maka Barry, Acting Country Director for Plan International in Haiti.

"In Port-au-Prince and the West and South-East of the country, we are dealing with flooding and uprooted trees blocking roads - as well as fallen electricity poles which means long power outages are expected."

"Although the storm is moving away people living in mountainous areas are still exposed to the danger of landslides."

Plan International has emergency provisions at ready, as taskforces assess the extent of the damage.

“Young people are particularly vulnerable during disasters such as these - and we have been working to ensure their safety and welfare as far as possible,” added Mr Barry.

"Specialists have been deployed to assist our existing team in helping communities and local government deal with the impact of this storm."

More experts from Plan’s emergency roster are on standby and will be deployed if necessary.

Isaac is currently moving in the direction of Cuba and Florida. 

For more information on Plan’s work  call 0800 526 848 or visit www.plan-uk.org

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Rose Foley
Media Relations Officer
Plan UK | www.plan-uk.org

Direct Line: 0203 217 0257 | Switchboard: 0300 777 9777 / +44 (0)20 7608 1311 (Non-UK) | Mobile: 07964 296 431 | Skype: rose_planUK | Address: Finsgate 5-7 Cranwood Street, London EC1V 9LH

 

Notes to editors

1) Plan is a global children’s charity. We work with children in the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future. A future you would want for all children, your family and friends. For 75 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfill their potential by:

 

·         giving children a healthy start in life, including access to safe drinking water

 

·         securing the education of girls and boys

 

·         working with communities to prepare for and survive disasters

 

·         inspiring children to take a lead in decisions that affect their lives

 

·         enabling families to earn a living and plan for their children’s future.

 

 We do what’s needed, where it’s needed most. We do what you would do. With your support children, families and entire communities have the power to move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.

 

 www.plan.org.uk

 

2) Plan UK is a member of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organisation for 14 leading humanitarian aid agencies.

 

3) We work with children in 50 of the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future.

 

4) Plan was founded by British journalist John Langdon-Davies in 1937 to rescue orphans and other vulnerable children from the Spanish Civil War.

 

6) We have over 100,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £24 million a year, and 1 million sponsored children worldwide

 

7) Sponsorship starts at £15-a-month and, rather than going to individual children and their families, funds projects to improve schooling, health, nutrition and livelihoods across communities.