Exciting day yesterday. We went to one of the Habitat apartments and went swimming at the pool there. Lovely. Then one of the men who had been in the Jacmel area doing assessments came to report in. Habitat is trying to set up several Habitat Resource Centers (HRCs) in the more rural areas surrounding Port au Prince. The Carrefors HRC is already up and running (440 transitional shelters completed) but it is a question mark as to the others. Jacmel was hit hard by the quake and transportation there is mostly paved roads so transporting goods and materials will be fairly easy (this is, of course, all relative). Land rights is a much contested area, . We're hopeful this can be resolved and work on transitional shelters can begin in earnest. There are two other towns we had hoped to set up an HRC but the road conditions may make this an impossibility. From Jacmel, there are only unpaved roads and once the rains start, they will be impassable. We asked about using the sea port to bring in materials, but apparently the ports are lacking cranes, which are needed to unload the crates.
Last night, I saw firsthand the power of the rains. We left the other apartment in the middle of a downpour and got stuck on the steep hill leading up to our house. Richard says that light cars can literally be carried downstream and the driver is helpless to alter course. After we got stuck, other cars/jeeps followed suit and so it was impossible to back up and get more traction. Finally the rains abated and we were able (just) to make it home. Apparently, the rain comes during the late afternoon and through the night. The road in front of our house quickly turned into a raging river. I asked how long the rainy season will last and the answer is 6-7 months. They actually will be closing down the apartment I'm staying in because it will soon be impossible to reach.
More later....
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