Haiti was heavily hit by tropical storms in late August and early September 2008. Four storms – tropical storm Fay, hurricane Gustav, hurricane Hanna and hurricane Ike – all produced heavy winds and rain in Haiti. The combined effect of wind and flooding caused the destruction of not only many infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and power lines but also private residences, public buildings, hospitals, churches and schools. The disaster resulted in 548 wounded, 793 dead, and 310 reported missing at the time of the PDNA. About 27,702 houses were destroyed and 84,625 partially damaged. In total, nearly 800,000 people and 165,337 families were directly affected.
A Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) was undertaken to identify immediate needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction, and develop a detailed work program. The PDNA team was was led by the Government of the Republic of Haiti with support from its technical and financial partners, including the World Bank, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), the European Commission, various United Nations agencies, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB), International Labour Office (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), Joint Research Centre, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Map Share.
Total damages and losses due to the disaster are estimated at US$ 897.39 million, which is equivalent to 14.6% of Haiti’s GDP. Productive sector faced the highest damages and losses followed by social and infrastructure sectors. A total of US$ 763.26 million was estimated for recovery and reconstruction, of which US$268.91 million was estimated for short-term recovery within six months. Long-term recovery and reconstruction needs were estimated at US$ 494.35 million over a 4-year period. It was estimated that housing reconstruction program would require highest funds (US$ 118.45 million). About US $212 million were estimated for a disaster risk reduction program over a 10-year period aiming at (i) improving institutional, legal and administrative arrangements, (ii) developing preparedness and contingency plans; and (ii) adopting disaster-resistant land use plans and zoning codes.