Stories from the field
Haiti Diary: Sophie Chavanel
Mountains of debris
October 10, 2010
Debris removal is a major challenge which is slowing the reconstruction of Haiti. In the streets of Port-au-Prince and in different cities, there are still tons and tons of debris. In total, it is estimated that the earthquake caused more than 26 million cubic yards of rubble, which means that if you put them in containers, there would be enough to cover the distance from London to Jerusalem. The pace of rebuilding cannot increase if the debris is not removed and heavy machinery is very limited here.
Most people clear their land by hand with a wheelbarrow and dump the rubble in the streets for authorities to take away. Unfortunately this can take days or weeks. I think some people voluntarily put the debris in the middle of the street, which creates traffic jams, as a way of ensuring it gets picked it up.
In addition to rubble, there is a huge volume of garbage that lines the streets and fills drainage canals. There is no recycling in Haiti, though in some cases what is one persons garbage is another’s treasure as some items are reused rather than thrown out. But most often, people just throw things in the trash, which often ends up in the street.
It reminds me of drives I’ve taken on the highway to Quebec City when I’ve seen people throwing their take-out containers out of the windows of their cars. However, we know that in most cases in Canada, someone will eventually pick this up. In Haiti – no one picks it up. There are waste containers, but no regular collection. Another issue that will take time to address.
Speaking of things that take time -- not very far from where I live, there is a huge pot hole. It is so large that a man could fall in, perhaps even two! This is the largest pot hole I've seen in my life! It was there when I first arrived in Haiti and it seems to be growing. For those of you who have ever complained about pot holes in your city – think again!
“On January 12, 2010, the earth shook violently Haiti. I sat in the newsroom of Radio-Canada in Montreal when I heard the news. The days and weeks that followed were full of extremely strong emotions when I saw, like you, the images of a country of rubble. I then made a decision. I didn’t just want to report the events, I wanted to be there. I then started a new journey as a delegate of the Red Cross.” – Sophie Chavanel, Canadian Red Cross delegate, Haiti.
Sophie Chavanel is the senior communications coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sophie is a former journalist and joined the Red Cross team in Haiti in August 2010, where she will remain for 12 months. Follow her activities through her field diary below or on twitter at http://twitter.com/SophieChavanel.
