摘要：Cyclone Hudah struck the northeastern coast of Madagascar in the spring of 2000. Over a 5-month period, 11 700 relief kits consisting of bottles of water disinfectant and foldable jerry cans were distributed to the affected population. Five months after the cyclone, a survey was conducted in 12 villages to determine the impact of these relief kits on water quality. Seventy-six percent of the surveyed households reported using jerry cans, and 65% reported using the disinfectant. Stored water in households using both products had significantly less microbiological contamination than stored water in other households. To improve the prospects for a sustainable intervention, the response plan for future disasters should incorporate a transition to recovery and development, including formative research into local customs, beliefs, and water handling habits, and funding support to initiate social marketing. ON APRIL 2, 2000, CYCLONE Hudah made landfall along the northeastern coast of Madagascar. Winds of up to 300 km/h (190 miles/h) and flooding caused major damage to infrastructure, cash crops, and food crops. A rapid assessment conducted from April 3 to April 8 revealed 111 deaths and identified injuries, malaria, and diarrhea as the main cyclone-associated health problems (Comité Restreint Interventions aux Catastrophe, Madagascar, unpublished data, 2000). On April 5, CARE Madagascar, in response to the need for potable water, 1 deployed the Safe Water System, which consists of behavior change techniques and point-of-use treatment and safe storage of water. 2 The system was already being socially marketed by Population Services International to 68 villages in Antalaha, the district most affected by the cyclone. Relief kits consisting of Sûr'Eau water disinfectant and Reliance foldable 5-gallon jerry cans (Reliance Industries Ltd, Mumbai, India) were distributed, and the population was educated about the use of these products. The first consignment was limited to 1800 relief kits because unusually high demand for Sûr'Eau engendered by a concurrent cholera epidemic resulted in a shortage of the product. The second consignment, consisting of 4500 relief kits, was delayed until May 24 because of a lack of boats available for shipping. In total, 11 700 kits were distributed between April 13 and August 14. In addition, 63 villages that had received earlier supplies of Sûr'Eau were provided with 7600 supplementary bottles.
