GPS News  
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
US Marine unit, Navy ships arrive in Haiti: US military

China to send 40-strong medical team to Haiti: state media
Beijing (AFP) Jan 23, 2010 - China will send a 40-member military medical team to help relief efforts in quake-hit Haiti, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, citing a defence ministry spokesman. The team, whose members have peacekeeping experience and helped after China's massive Sichuan earthquake in 2008, will carry out rescue work, provide medical treatment and help with epidemic prevention, said Huang Xueping. They are being deployed in response to a United Nations request and will leave for Haiti shortly, coordinating their work with the UN and other rescuers, Huang said. A 60-member Chinese rescue team has already been deployed in the Haitian capital since January 14 and has so far rescued or offered help to more than 2,500 people, Xinhua said, citing the China Earthquake Administration.

Venezuelan fuel for Haiti arrives in Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo (AFP) Jan 23, 2010 - A shipment of more than a million and a half liters of Venezuelan fuel destined for Haiti has arrived in the Dominican Republic for transportation to the devastated nation, a refinery here said. "The first part (of the shipment) of fuel from Venezuela to help the Haitians, some 420,000 gallons (1.58 million liters) is now in the Refidomsa reserves," the country's state refinery said in a statement. Refidomsa did not specify what types of fuel had been shipped. Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez announced January 17 that his country, Latin America's top oil exporter, was prepared to send 225,000 barrels of diesel and gas to quake-stricken Haiti.

Haiti quake toll grows steadily
Port-Au-Prince (AFP) Jan 23, 2010 - The death toll from the devastating quake in Haiti rose Saturday to 112,226, according to new official figures. The figure continued to rise from the 111,499 deaths confirmed by the interior ministry Friday. "There is catastrophic damage," the ministry said in a statement, adding 194,000 people were injured and one million had been left homeless. It added that most homes had been destroyed in the capital Port-au-Prince as well as the towns of Jacmel and Leogane to the southwest. "At least 23 private hospitals as well as schools, banks, industry and commerce have all been badly affected," the statement added.

Haitian ministry working to coordinate aid from diaspora
Port-Au-Prince (AFP) Jan 23, 2010 - Haiti's ministry for diaspora affairs said Saturday it is working to funnel aid from Haitians living abroad to their relatives in the quake-stricken country, many of whom survive on remittances. "We have made available telephone numbers and Internet addresses so that Haitians can get the latest news about their families and we are coordinating aid coming from the diaspora," said Edwin Paraison, diaspora affairs minister. Since the January 12 disaster, Haitians abroad have worked to keep in touch with their relatives despite damaged communications, but have also tried to send them money, food and clothes. More than three million Haitians live outside the Caribbean nation, mainly in the United States, the Dominican Republic, the Antilles and France. "All the (necessary) administrative and tax formalities are being given to humanitarian aid from the Haitian diaspora," added Paraison, who narrowly escaped injury when his ministry collapsed during last week's quake. Financial transfer offices here have been overrun by Haitians waiting to receive funds from overseas. According to the World Bank, remittances are usually estimated to account for around a third of GDP in Haiti, the western hemisphere's poorest nation.
by Staff Writers
 Port-Au-Prince (AFP) Jan 23, 2010
 A US Marine unit arrived off the coast of Haiti Saturday as the United States continued to ramp up its military deployment to the country's relief effort, US Southern Command said.

In a statement, Southern Command said the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit had arrived off Haiti along with Navy's Nassau Amphibious Ready Group aboard three Navy ships, the USS Nassau, the USS Mesa Verde and the USS Ashland.

"The Marines will bring all of their capability as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force including... an infantry battalion of nearly 1,200 personnel," the statement said.

"Presently, there are 1,200 Marines aboard USS Nassau, 600 aboard USS Mesa Verde and about 400 on the USS Ashland," military public affairs official Lieutenant Lydia Ellen Bock told AFP in an email.

The Marine unit and the Navy deployment were due to sail across the Atlantic but were diverted to assist US aid efforts in Haiti, which was devastated by a January 12 earthquake that killed at least 110,000 people.

"Our Marines are standing by for further tasking and are prepared to support any mission they're given," said Colonel Pete Petronzio, the unit's commanding officer, in a statement.

"We are well trained for humanitarian assistance, have a robust capability, and we're ready to help wherever we can."

US military personnel are playing a frontline role in aid efforts in the Caribbean nation, taking control of Port-au-Prince's airport shortly after the quake to manage the flow of relief supplies flying in and anchoring hospital ships offshore to treat injured Haitians.

A total of 20,000 US military personnel are due to be in Haiti or on ships offshore by Sunday.

Tear gas and shots fired at Haiti aid delivery
Port Au Prince (AFP) Jan 24, 2010 - UN troops fired warning shots and sprayed tear gas on Haitian quake survivors Saturday after a food delivery to hundreds of them spiraled out of control in the capital Saturday.

The distribution of food, soybean oil, water and radios at a former military airfield began calmly, with two long lines of people waiting patiently across the field, an AFP photographer saw.

Brazilian troops missed small early scuffles for aid by many who had seen no help since the massive January 12 earthquake reduced their homes to rubble, and were eventually forced to resort to tear gas and firing into the air.

Nevertheless, as order broke down and crowds poured out of the lines, the peacekeepers finally abandoned a pile of radios and other aid for people to fight over, as they stood by.

It was unclear if the delivery by the World Food Programme and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was finally completed.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to send 3,500 extra UN troops and police to quake-hit Haiti to help maintain order and protect humanitarian convoys.

The UN mission in Haiti, deployed in the impoverished nation since mid-2004, currently has roughly 7,000 troops, 2,000 police and about 2,000 civilian personnel.


Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
 Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes


Memory Foam Mattress Review
SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
 Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Haitians rush for cash as bank re-opens
 Port-Au-Prince (AFP) Jan 21, 2010
 Hundreds of Haitians rushed Thursday to make deposits and withdraw cash as a main bank re-opened almost nine days after a massive earthquake left the capital city in ruins. Under extremely tight security, including individual screenings of customers and their documents, and a shut down of the surrounding street, patrons of the Central Bank of Haiti (BRH) stood in single file to await a visit ... read more






The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement