Disclaimer: Please note that we at Sunburst International Risk Management provides Travel Information as a value-added service to our international clients and visitors of this website. We update our posting frequently, in order to provide you with current and reliable travel alerts as quickly as we can. However, Travel Warnings posted on this website are subject to change without notice. We suggest that you also check with the State Department and other governmental agencies regarding the safety in the your destinations before you leave.

On February 9, 2010, the U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Warning :

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the situation in Haiti in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake, measuring 7.0 magnitude, that struck Haiti near Port-au-Prince on January 12.  The Department of State has ordered the departure of all non-emergency U.S. government personnel from Haiti.

U.S. citizens are strongly urged to avoid travel to Haiti.  The January 12 earthquake caused significant damage to key infrastructure, and access to basic services is extremely limited.  Additional aftershocks remain a possibility.  All forms of communication within Haiti are limited.  The country is experiencing a severe shortage of food, water, transportation, and adequate shelter.  All commercial airline carriers have suspended their operations until further notice.  Medical facilities are operating beyond maximum capacity, and the lack of adequate sanitation poses serious health risks.  Despite good intentions, travelers may increase the burden on a system already struggling to support those in need on the ground.  In addition, the Embassy's ability to provide emergency consular services is limited. 

For Travelers in an Earthquake Area: Please follow instruction on FEMA's web page about "What to do After an Earthquake"  The most important things are to listen to the radio and to only place phone calls in the event of an emergency, since call volumes are very high during these times.  

For Family Members: The U.S. State Department Operations Center is advising Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti to call 1-888-407-4747. Due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording. "Our embassy is still in the early stages of contacting American citizens through our Warden Network," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time."   

You can also follow the U.S. State Department's latest Tweets for up-to-date information: http://twitter.com/dipnote

Click here for new Emergency Information Service (EIS)-- a free assistance to survivors of the Haiti earthquake and their family members around the world with updated information. Jan. 22, 2010

Live: Haiti earthquake - latest updates Jan. 20, 2010
... Haiti and has placed 12000 more on alert for possible deployment. In addition, members of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will travel ...

U.S. starts aid airdrops into Haiti January 19, 2010
The US military begins airdrops of food and water into Haiti, as aid efforts gather pace a week after the devastating earthquake. Some 14,000 ready-to-eat meals and 15,000 litres of water were dropped north-east of the capital, Port-au-Prince, the US said.

Beware of bogus online ‘help’ for Haiti

Americas - Haiti (1/14/2010): The urge to help — and to give money — is powerful following a devastating event like Haiti's earthquake, and one of the easiest ways to do it is online. It's also one of the easiest ways to get scammed if you're not sure what you're doing or who you're dealing with. More. . . 

Security fears in quake-hit Haiti January 16, 2010
Security concerns rise in Haiti's capital as distribution problems continue to hamper the supply of aid to desperate quake survivors. Days after the quake devastated Port-au-Prince, killing tens of thousands, there are some reports of gangs preying on residents and looting. Officials say thousands of prisoners are unaccounted for after the main prison was destroyed. Relief has been arriving, but little has moved beyond the jammed airport. More. . .

The U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Alert on January 13, 2010:

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the situation in Haiti and urges them to avoid travel to Haiti in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12.  An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck near Port Au Prince, followed by multiple aftershocks. The U.S. Embassy is working to ascertain the extent of the damage and check on the status of U.S. citizens around the island. This Travel Alert expires on March 13, 2010.
 
There are reports of extensive damage, and communications remain extremely difficult. Additional aftershocks remain a possibility.  A Tsunami Watch for Haiti and neighboring islands issued by the Pacific Tsunami Alert Center has expired.  

U.S. citizens in Haiti should remain in shelter. If exposed when an aftershock hits, take steps to avoid falling debris by getting to as open a space as possible, away from walls, windows, buildings and other structures.  If indoors, take shelter under a heavy table or desk, or in a doorway.  Avoid damaged buildings, and obey all instructions from local authorities.  Do not use matches, lighters, candles or other flame in case of disrupted gas lines.  Avoid downed power lines. 

If possible, U.S. citizens in Haiti should contact friends and relatives outside of Haiti to inform them of their welfare.

The U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince has set up a task force at the Embassy which is taking calls as conditions permit.  The Embassy is working to identify U.S. citizens in Haiti who need urgent assistance and to identify sources of emergency help.  

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U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Haiti despite this warning are reminded that there also is a chronic danger of violent crime, especially kidnappings.  Most kidnappings are criminal in nature, and the kidnappers make no distinctions of nationality, race, gender, or age.  The incidence of kidnapping in Haiti has diminished from its peak in 2006 when 60 Americans were reported kidnapped.  As of July 2009, one American had been reported kidnapped this year.  In 2008, 27 Americans were reported kidnapped. Most of the Americans were abducted in Haiti's two largest cities, Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien.  Some kidnap victims have been killed, shot, sexually assaulted, or physically abused.  While the capacity and capabilities of the Haitian National Police have improved since 2006, the presence of UN stabilization force (MINUSTAH) peacekeeping troops and UN-formed police units remain critical to maintaining an adequate level of security throughout the country.  The lack of civil protections in Haiti, as well as the limited capability of local law enforcement to resolve crime, further compounds the security threat to American citizens.

While MINUSTAH remains fully deployed and is assisting the government of Haiti in providing security, travel is always hazardous within Port-au-Prince.  U.S. Embassy personnel are under an Embassy-imposed curfew and must remain in their homes or in U.S. government facilities during the curfew.  Some areas are off-limits to Embassy staff after dark, including downtown Port-au-Prince.  The Embassy restricts travel by its staff to some areas outside of Port-au-Prince because of the prevailing road, weather, or security conditions.  This may constrain our ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside Port-au-Prince.  Demonstrations and violence may occasionally limit Embassy operations to emergency services, even within Port-au-Prince.

The Department of State strongly advises U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Haiti to register either online at https://travelregistration.state.gov or with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince.  The Consular Section can be reached at (509) (2)229-8000 or e-mail address acspap@state.gov. Travelers should also consult the Department of State's latest Country Specific Information for Haiti and the Worldwide Caution at http://travel.state.gov.  American citizens also may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States.

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