Hurricane Matthew, 2016

Question 1

Where did it occur?

Answer 1

In late September, tropical wave formed near Cape Verde Islands and tracked West through the Atlantic Ocean. On 1st October, it reached category 5, but Haiti and Cuba were hit as category 4 on October 4th. Between 5-9th October, hit the Bahamas and US Eastern Seaboard, but was not as strong at that point.

Question 2

How many people died?

Answer 2

630.
540 in Haiti, over 40 in the USA.

Question 3

How many homes were destroyed?

Answer 3

80-90% of homes were destroyed in the hardest-hit areas.

Question 4

What were the windspeeds?

Answer 4

Up to 145m.

Question 5

What were the effects of the hurricane?

Answer 5

• Food insecurity and malnutrition led to an increase in sex and gender-based violence.
• 3,500 cholera cases from poor sanitation.
• 130,000 people displaced and registered crossing the border into Haiti.
• Electricity and water shortages.
• Farming for rice, beans, corn, coffee, cocoa etc destroyed for the following season.

Question 6

What were the responses to the hurricane?

Answer 6

• End of October 2016, 100,000 displaced people living in temporary shelters.
• UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund released $6 million for urgent needs of most affected people.
• The World Bank provided inputs for next agricultural season, and seeds to 2,500 farmers.
• 2,000 Relief Baby Boxes given by the Ministry of Health - containing mosquito repellent and bed nets to prevent the Zika virus transmission.
• The US Agency for International Development deployed two disaster response teams to Haiti and Jamaica.