Caritas distributes all of 1100 blankets, water purification tablets all the tents and tarpaulins to Leogane. 90 percent of the town was destroyed in the earthquake.

Credits: N. Fischer/Caritas Switzerland

Caritas has taken truck loads of aid to the earthquake-hit town of Léogâne, 30km outside of Port-au-Prince.

Accompanied by UN peacekeepers, the convoy contained tents, plastic sheeting, blankets, water purification tablets and water containers. It will help 5000 people.

5000 thousand people also received food kits in a separate Caritas distribution in the town.

A medical tent will also be erected to take care of the immediate health needs of the community in Léogâne.

“The healthcare system in Léogâne was very weak to begin with,” says Dr Joost, Butenop, Caritas health advisor in Port-au-Prince.

“Our medical kits are specially designed for disasters and will allow us to treat wounds, prescribe medicines and treat infectious diseases that are common after disasters.”

The clinic will be put up behind Léogâne’s destroyed church and is expected to treat up to 80 patients a day.

Léogâne’s hospital was not destroyed in the earthquake, but people are not entering the building until assessments have been carried out.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated large parts of Port-au-Prince had a massive impact of Léogâne. Many buildings are destroyed and much of the community is sleeping in the town’s central square.

Caritas has been ramping up its aid effort in recent days. A plane-full of tents, sheeting and medical tents and medicines arrived on Wednesday.

This followed twenty truck-fulls of food and hygiene items and 80 containers of food arriving earlier in the week.

Contact Michelle Hough in Port-au-Prince 00393386921177 or mimi7tre@hotmail.com

For photos of the rescue and distribution contact Patrick Nicholson at Nicholson@caritas.va or 00393343590700