Haiti, US Embassy entrance area plunge into darkness as vandals attack power plant and substations

Parts of Haiti – including an area outside the U.S. embassy – have now plunged into darkness following attacks by vandals on a power plant and four power substations in Port-au-Prince, the country’s national utility says. 

Électricité D’Haïti (EDH) said in a statement on X that “several of the company’s premises were sabotaged,” numerous materials were damaged and documents were destroyed “during the latest acts of vandalism perpetrated in recent weeks.” 

“Such acts of theft and sabotage only further worsen the financial and technical situation of the company,” it added, noting that four power substations and the Varreux Power Plant in Port-au-Prince were “destroyed and made completely dysfunctional,” cutting off electricity to dozens of areas including the “USA Embassy Entrance” and a local hospital. 

“Important documents, electrical installations, cables, inverters, batteries as well as computer and office equipment were taken by these thugs,” EDH also said. Authorities are working to restore power to the affected areas. 

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The development comes after the State Department revealed Monday that nearly 1,000 Americans have filled out a “crisis intake form” seeking assistance in Haiti. 

“It is not hyperbole to say that this is one of the most dire humanitarian situations in the world,” State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said. “Gang violence continues to make the security situation in Haiti untenable, and it is a region that demands our attention.”  

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“This is a fluid situation and the number of individuals who have reached out to us through the crisis intake form is approaching a thousand,” he added, referring to the form on the State Department’s website. 

“And we’re continuing to monitor the situation closely and evaluate the demand of U.S. citizens, evaluate the overall security situation, evaluate what is feasible when it comes to commercial transportation options, what is feasible for other transportation solutions,” Patel also said, emphasizing that “we have no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens.”  

The State Department previously has said it is aware of several hundred U.S. citizens being stuck in Haiti.