Hurricane Matthew Updates

November 4, 2016 -3:00pm
A satellite photo of Lori shows the damage to our sister parish church and rectory. Fortunately the school building had a solid roof that survived the storm.  In the center shows the remaining walls of the church. Towards the top is the rectory and clinic, minus the roofing.

Updated October 24, 2016 - 9:00 pm. Link to interview of Bette Gebrian by the Miami Herald. This interview was conducted about one week ago, but we just became aware of the link. The video of Jeremie is some of the clearest that I have seen yet.

Updated October 14, 2016 - 7:00 am - Added links to USAID fact sheets and situation
report in the links section

Update October 13, 2016 - 7:00 am. - Added links for videos of damage to the Jeremie area.
Added links to more fact sheets / situation report regarding the damage assessments and releif efforts.

Update Oct 12, 2016. 7:00 pm. - Added link to photos of damage to pedestrian bridges. See the link below
to view photos of the church.

Photos of damage to St. Anthony's Church and Rectory. Oct 12, 2016 - 7:30am
Here is a link to an album of photos posted to Flickr by Tyler Welsh in Haiti (Tyler is the Haiti Program Manager for Bridges to Prosperity) I am posting three of the pictures here, but please feel free to follow the link below and see them all.

It is easy to think of damage statements such as missing a roof, or severely damaged etc. and think you have an idea. When you see the photos it becomes apparent that there is a lot more than a few words can describe. Here is just three "thousand words". 


   
St Anthony's Church, from the Altar                               The Church building - minus the roof


 

Photos of damage to Gelin Footbridge and St Anthony's Church- Oct 10th 3:30 pm


                       

As you can plainly see the water levels for these rivers was extremely high. They were built to be above
the 100 year flood level.


Additional information Oct 10, 2016 8:15 am

Haiti's acting President Jocelerme Privert was in Jeremie yesterday. He likes the idea of using Jeremie as a supply hub to deliver relief aid to the other areas. This would be wonderful news for the Jeremie area. It would also bring the supplies much closer to our sister parish in Lori. (Haiti was scheduled to hold Presidential elections yesterday, Oct 9th, but they were postponed due to the hurricane.)

Updated Status - Oct 9, 2016 4:00 pm

In watching a news report (video link below) a resident of Jeremie said that all suddenly went quiet during the middle of the storm. About an hour later it started again, even stronger. This sounds like the eye of the storm passed right over Jeremie. Since our sister parish is located about 15 miles southeast of Jeremie the eye would have passed right over them also.

The following information was received from Tyler Welsh. The Program Manager for Bridges to Prosperity in Haiti. This is the group that managed the construction of the many pedestrian bridges in Haiti, and many other countries.

For the footbridges over the Grand'Anse, I've received the following news.  They are all still standing however have each taken some damage:

Gelin footbridge (Grand'Anse river, 20 min out from Jeremie) - Foundations/towers OK, river hit the bridge but somehow did not take it down, most of the decking is gone, however people are still crossing it.

Marfranc footbridge - foundations / towers OK, bridge is very crooked, missing decking.

Chameau, Moron footbridge - structural damage on one side.  Anchor has been pulled and the bridge is now sagging.  Not passable.

Chambellan - foundations/towers OK but missing almost all of its decking.

I have yet to see any pictures and it is still unclear as to the extent of the damage.

Tyler

(These bridges were built for 110 mile per hour winds, that they remained standing after two days of 145 mph and gusts of up to 170 mph is a minor miracle in itself)


And the following information was received regarding communications:

Bette has met with a group that brought 6,000 ReVolt Energy boxes to Jeremie. She requested 1,000 of them to be used at the small remote parishes and villages.

ReVolt boxes are small solar powered battry chargers for cell phones. They also have small LED lights powered by batteries that get recharched by the box. Being able to obtain even a few of these to be laced at central locations in small villages will allow cell phones to be recharged, allowing for communications with the outside world.


Updated status Oct 9, 2016 10:30 AM

Julian was able to get to Lori. Getting the motorbike over the bridge was very difficult because the planks were gone. David spoke with Father Romain very briefly. He is fine. There was much damage. Before we heard more the connection dropped.

Then Bette called! Julian had called her to relay info, as follows: there have been deaths. All Homes are totally destroyed. People gathered at church and school buildings and survived. Church roof and rectory roof gone. Food & water and medical help the immediate issue.

Bette made it clear that although relief supplies will be in Jeremie, Lori won't be receiving it because , " no one has Lori on its list. Rural villages get nothing. Apart from you guys, they have no one"

Please continue to pray for Bette & her husband Edwin. Their home has no roof. All their possessions scattered covered in mud, most guest houses without roof, some walls damaged, food supplies low and relief workers CARE etc working out of their facilities.

She had been in touch with Bishop DeCoste who is tracking best he can damage and needs for rural chapels. They are hoping to get digicell phones out to each chapel. They are solar powered. There is no dependable means of communication.

That's what we have so far. It was wonderful to hear Father Romains voice. He was tearfully grateful to know we are here for them.