Aid groups struggle to reach stricken in Haiti
Source: Agencies |
January 16, 2010, Saturday
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UN and other aid organizations struggled yesterday to get food and water to millions of earthquake victims as hundreds of US troops touched down in shattered Haiti capital of Port-au-Prince overnight.
Fears spread of unrest among the Haitian people in their fourth day of desperation.
Looters roamed downtown streets, young men and boys with machetes.
Hard-pressed government workers, meanwhile, were burying thousands of bodies in mass graves. The Red Cross estimates 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday's earthquake.
More and more, the focus fell on the daunting challenge of getting aid to survivors. United Nations peacekeepers patrolling the capital said people's anger was rising that aid hasn't been distributed quickly, and warned aid convoys to add security to guard against looting.
"People have not been eating or drinking for almost 50 hours and are already in a very poor situation," UN humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said in Geneva. "If they see a truck with something, or if they see a supermarket which has collapsed, they just rush to get something to eat."
The quake's destruction of Port-au-Prince's main prison complicated the security situation. International Red Cross spokesman Marcal Izard said some 4,000 prisoners had escaped and were freely roaming the streets.
But Byrs said peacekeepers were maintaining security despite the challenges. "It's tense but they can cope," she said.
From Europe, Asia and the Americas, more than 20 governments, the UN and private aid groups were sending planeloads of high-energy biscuits and other food, tons of water, tents, blankets, water-purification gear, heavy equipment for removing debris, helicopters and other transport. Hundreds of search-and-rescue, medical and other specialists also headed to Haiti.
More than 100 paratroopers of the US 82nd Airborne Division arrived at the Port au Prince airport overnight, and others have arrived off Port-au-Prince harbor on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.
"We have much more support on the way. Our priority is getting relief out to the needy people," said Ken Keen, deputy commander of the US Southern Command. The command said other paratroopers and Marines would raise the US presence to 8,000 troops in the coming days.
Hundreds of bodies were stacked outside the city morgue, and limbs of the dead protruded from the rubble of crushed schools and homes.
"We need food. The people are suffering. My neighbors and friends are suffering," said Sylvain Angerlotte, 22.
Fears spread of unrest among the Haitian people in their fourth day of desperation.
Looters roamed downtown streets, young men and boys with machetes.
Hard-pressed government workers, meanwhile, were burying thousands of bodies in mass graves. The Red Cross estimates 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday's earthquake.
More and more, the focus fell on the daunting challenge of getting aid to survivors. United Nations peacekeepers patrolling the capital said people's anger was rising that aid hasn't been distributed quickly, and warned aid convoys to add security to guard against looting.
"People have not been eating or drinking for almost 50 hours and are already in a very poor situation," UN humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said in Geneva. "If they see a truck with something, or if they see a supermarket which has collapsed, they just rush to get something to eat."
The quake's destruction of Port-au-Prince's main prison complicated the security situation. International Red Cross spokesman Marcal Izard said some 4,000 prisoners had escaped and were freely roaming the streets.
But Byrs said peacekeepers were maintaining security despite the challenges. "It's tense but they can cope," she said.
From Europe, Asia and the Americas, more than 20 governments, the UN and private aid groups were sending planeloads of high-energy biscuits and other food, tons of water, tents, blankets, water-purification gear, heavy equipment for removing debris, helicopters and other transport. Hundreds of search-and-rescue, medical and other specialists also headed to Haiti.
More than 100 paratroopers of the US 82nd Airborne Division arrived at the Port au Prince airport overnight, and others have arrived off Port-au-Prince harbor on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.
"We have much more support on the way. Our priority is getting relief out to the needy people," said Ken Keen, deputy commander of the US Southern Command. The command said other paratroopers and Marines would raise the US presence to 8,000 troops in the coming days.
Hundreds of bodies were stacked outside the city morgue, and limbs of the dead protruded from the rubble of crushed schools and homes.
"We need food. The people are suffering. My neighbors and friends are suffering," said Sylvain Angerlotte, 22.
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