THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD - The Zr.Ms. Holland is en route from Curaçao to Haiti to provide emergency aid after the country was hit by a severe earthquake on Saturday. The death toll has now risen to well over 2,100.
The naval ship is loaded in Curaçao with food, water and relief supplies. Also on board are an NH90 helicopter, fast craft, and a team of at least 22 additional military personnel. It concerns marines and engineers of the army.
The military has several dinghies at their disposal. This includes bringing civilian international medical personnel to the hardest hit parts of Haiti. The military is mainly involved in the distribution of food, relief supplies and medical supplies.
They also map out damage so that it is clear what is needed to provide help there. The Netherlands works closely with the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the EU are financing the deployment of the naval vessel.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the humanitarian budget for this. The military emergency aid comes on top of the financial aid that the Netherlands already made available to the Red Cross and UN organizations.
The Commander of the Navy in the Caribbean directs the military deployment of emergency aid. The patrol ship is in principle deployed for 2 weeks. Aboard the Zr.Ms. Holland, next to the emergency team, there is a crew of approximately 75 and a few Military Police (Marechaussees). The ship has been in the Caribbean since May 2021, including for drug control.
In addition to the 2,189 dead, it is estimated that around 10,000 were injured in the earthquake. More than 135,000 properties were damaged or destroyed. It concerns houses, hospitals and schools. Healthcare and clean drinking water are scarce, which can lead to large-scale outbreaks of cholera.