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(KVUE news) – An Australian TV crew pulled a healthy 16-month-old girl from the wreckage of her house Friday – about 68 hours after the earthquake struck. In a collapsed house, neighbors and reporters heard a cry and found an air pocket: part of the top floor had been held up by a cabinet.
“I could see a dead body that was there, sort of on top of the cabinet; I could hear the baby on the left side of the body screaming,” said David Celestino of the Dominican Republic, who had been working with the TV crew.
Although her parents were dead, Winnie Tilin survived with only scratches and soon was in the arms of her uncle, whose pregnant wife also was killed.
US takes control of Haiti airport …
(ABC News) – The government in Haiti has given the United States temporary control of the airport in the capital Port-au-Prince in an effort to get aid supplies moving more quickly to survivors of Tuesday’s earthquake.
More than 30 countries are contributing aid and helicopters from a US aircraft carrier have begun delivering supplies to the capital.
A boat carrying bananas and coal arrived today, but the joyful event did little to change the overall grim situation.
Aid begins trickling in to Port-au-Prince
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid says aid is starting to get through.
“You need supplies in sufficient numbers that it will start to meet the need. We do need to clear the roads, we do need to have networks. We need to find places that are safe for people to congregate,” he said.
As the city waits for desperately needed aid many have now resorted to scavenging through the rubble and rotting corpses to look for food, and the queues for fresh water are growing.
The mood of patience and resilience is being replaced by anger and frustration.
PORT-AU-PRINCE SURVIVORS MOVING OUT
For many of the homeless there is now only one option – getting out of Port-au-Prince – but they have no destination in mind, they just want to get away.
People fight over goods scavenged from the rubble of buildings collapsed
during Tuesday's earthquake in Port-au-Prince. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2010 – President Barack Obama said today said he’s made helping Haiti in the wake of a crippling earthquake the top priority of every U.S. government agency.
Obama called the quake an unimaginable tragedy, and said the United States has launched “a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort” to help.
“I’ve made it clear [to Cabinet officers and government agency heads] that Haiti must be a top priority for their departments and agencies right now,” Obama said. “This is one of those moments that call out for American leadership.”
The United States is deploying a Marine expeditionary unit, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and the hospital ship USNS Comfort.
US sending 10,000 troops to earthquake-hit Haiti for food distribution
NORFOLK (NNS) — More than 1,700 Sailors and Marines aboard ships from the Bataan Amphibious Relief Force departed Hampton Roads area Naval bases Jan. 14 en route to Haiti to assist with relief efforts following the tragic earthquake that struck the island nation Jan. 12.
Within 48 hours of receiving tasking from U.S. 2nd Fleet, the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), amphibious dock landing ships USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) were underway. The ships began loading Marines, aircraft and equipment from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in less than 24 hours of their departure.
“We’re moving with a sense of urgency to provide a swift and coordinated response to assist Haiti,” said Capt. Thomas Negus, commander of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. “The unique capabilities of our amphibious ships can bring much-needed assistance in the multinational efforts to relieve suffering in Haiti.”
The three ships typically use air cushion landing craft, conventional landing craft and helicopters for their primary mission to move Marines ashore, but their inherent capabilities and complement of assets make it ideal for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
“Disaster relief and humanitarian assistance is something we train for,” said Capt. Sam Howard, Bataan’s commanding officer. “We are absolutely equipped and prepared to perform the mission we’ve been called upon to do.”
Bataan’s medical capabilities are second only to U.S. Navy hospital ships and include nearly 50 medical professionals as well as X-ray facilities, a 600-bed hospital, operating rooms, an intensive care unit, pharmacy and laboratory.
At last …
Imcomprehensible Devastation, Chaos, Violence
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The number of people homeless or effected is 3 million, number of injured 200,000, the number of deaths between 50 and 150,000. Dead bodies are dumped on piles in the cities, there are bodies in the collapsed buildings and homes, bodies being dumped with rubble outside the city. There is no government infrastructure intact, not enough police and/or nurses and medics. People tend to their close relatives and friends, all relief stations and hospitals are in ruins and don’t function. People are hungry, thirsty … aid is not getting through and not in sufficient numbers.
People cover their faces as they walk past bodies. Photo: AP
In many instances, packages get dropped by low flying helicopters, contrary to earlier goals of handouts on the ground. This just isn’t possible due to lack of trucks, vans, thoroughfare, roads are blocked and when the U.N. or W.F.O. are on the ground with supplies and start distributing, the masses gather as does the fighting, violence leading to broken arms and other injuries. The relief workers close-up shop and move on. All relief is now accompanied by guards, soldiers or U.N. security. There is little support from government officials, many have been unaccounted for, some injured Haitian officials and U.N. workers have been transferred to the Dominican Republic. The people are becoming frustrated and very angry. They see and hear the U.S. helicopters flying overhead, yet they are not being reached in sufficient numbers.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Street vendors hawked their wares, music replaced frantic news reports on local radio stations and cars were obeying traffic signals Saturday as the routine signs of a normal urban life began to reappear on the broken, body-strewn streets of Haiti’s pulverized capital.
But beneath the veneer, Port-au-Prince was still teetering on the brink of chaos, being pushed closer to the edge by a worsening security situation and a relief effort that many Haitians feel has been far too slow in coming.
Canadian police officers serving with a local United Nations policing effort, known as Minustah, have been called upon to provide protection and direction to search-and-rescue teams. Most of the Canadian police contingent has been in country for several months, and their knowledge of Port-au-Prince’s Byzantine network of streets and alleys – all the more difficult to navigate from the latest chaos – has become invaluable.
In one of many bitter ironies in play in Haiti at the moment, it is the insecurity in the streets – a symptom of a shortage of food, water and help – that’s contributing to delays distributing food supplies.
A Minustah official said the situation in the outlying slums of Cite Soleil and Carrefour had deteriorated, with crowds reportedly attacking UN vehicles and accusing the international community of doing too little to distribute food.
Water shortages have, nonetheless, begun to ease; the 15 major food distribution stations in the city are now being complemented by several smaller ones.
Port-au-Prince: Without vital port, 'We'll starve to death, that's all'
A violent scuffle broke out among several hundred people jostling to be first in line as three U.S. military helicopters were landing at the golf course with food and water.
The chopper pilots decided it was too dangerous to remain and took off with their precious cargo still inside.’
“People are so desperate for food that they are going crazy,” said Henry Ounche, an accountant who was among the crowd.
Scuffles also erupted at a downtown football stadium transformed into a rescue centre as U.S. Navy helicopters dropped food rations and Gatorade. About 200 youths fought each other to get at the aid, and some threw stones.
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Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) — Critically injured earthquake victims watched doctors and nurses walk away from a field hospital Friday night after United Nations officials ordered a medical team to evacuate the area out of security concerns. There have been scattered reports of violence throughout the capital.
Sandra Pierre, a Haitian who has been helping at the makeshift hospital, said the medical staff took most of the supplies with them.
“All the doctors, all the nurses are gone,” she said. “They are expected to be back tomorrow. They had no plan on leaving tonight. It was an order that came suddenly.”
The only doctor left at the U.N. field hospital was CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who assessed the needs of the 25 patients but with no supplies, there was little he could do.
Gupta monitored patients’ vital signs, administered painkillers and continued intravenous drips. He stabilized three new patients in critical condition. He and his television crew stayed with the injured all night, long after the medical team had left, long after the generators gave out and the tents turned pitch black.
At 3:45 a.m., he posted a message on Twitter: “pulling all nighter at haiti field hosp. lots of work, but all patients stable. turned my crew into a crack med team tonight.”
“Search and rescue must trump security. …
They need to man up and get back in there.”
-Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré
Haitians grow restless as fears mount
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
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(MINUSTAH) David Wimhurst said that no instructions by the United Nations (UN), security officials or any other officials were issued to any medical staff in any medical facility in Haiti to stop working.
Security concerns cause doctors to leave hospital, quake victims
CNN initially reported, based on conversations with some of the doctors, that the United Nations ordered the Belgian First Aid and Support Team to evacuate. However, Belgian Chief Coordinator Geert Gijs, a doctor who was at the hospital with 60 Belgian medical personnel, said it was his decision to pull the team out for the night. Gijs said he requested U.N. security personnel to staff the hospital overnight, but was told that peacekeepers would only be able to evacuate the team.
Her World Collapsed; Then She Was Saved
Rosemene Josiane, 28, pulled from her home
after leg amputation. (Dominic Nahr, WSJ)
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
Thanks for the links, Oui!
I made a brief diary of this on DK.
CNN Reported Hospital Closed by the UN
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I just viewed a news item reported from Port-au-Prince where 1,700 persons were gathered in an open square. In reference to BooMan’s remark, in a number of interviews the citizens complained no one has come to their assistance to care for the wounded or deliver water and food for the survivors. They called out for the Red Cross, the Haitian government and the United Nations. It’s clear the local people have nothing left and no news or means of communication, they themselves do not realize the extent of the disaster. Death and suffering is everywhere, rescue work had to be stopped because of the penetrating odor of decomposing bodies. All basic materials for rescue work is lacking, no organisation, no uniformed police, doctors or nurses. The Haitian population have to take care of one another, an impossible task.
In the studio discussion, apparently there are some 7,000 U.N. peacekeepers present on Haiti, their mandate has not been broadened to do rescue work. That’s why in some reports you do see U.N. blue helmets carrying arms patrolling the streets, not participating in any rescue operations.
See comment by ask in his diary.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
Wrong U.N. Mandate
…their mandate has not been broadened to do rescue work.
The mandate of MINUSTAH was/is the correct one – security, stability and rule of law. The UN Secretariat does not have the powers to simply change this, say, to one of rescue, recovery and rehabilitation. The mandate and its associated budget was determined by the General Assembly (in other words, by the member nations).
To expand the mandate it is necessary to bring in the bodies that govern the UN – i.e., the Security Council and the GA. A change in the mandate will certainly come at some point, meanwhile the efforts will be directed through OCHA and the resources being raised through the Flash Appeal (as described in my comment yesterday [linked in your comment]).
UN Security Council, General Assembly pledge support for Haiti quake victims
Press Conference by Heads of Peacekeeping Operations, Field Support Departments on Situation in Haiti
Maybe the UN can find some Serbian or Rwandan mass murderers to turn refugees over to.
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Red tape, bureaucracy and a congested airport left the Dutch group of eight fully equipped rescue teams diverted to Curacao and a painful delay before arriving in Port-au-Prince.
(NRC) – The Dutch Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR) left the country in a military cargo aircraft at 10:30am on Thursday with eight search and rescue dogs and heavy drilling and cutting equipment. Heavy duty rescue efforts are the specialty of this 63-member team that consists of police officers, soldiers and paramedics. The only thing planned for sure was that after landing at 3 pm local time a reconnaissance team would race towards town …
Unable to land in Haiti
But as many a plan does, this one too went awry. During a stopover at the Dominican beach resort of Puerto Plata it became apparent that landing in Port-au-Prince would be impossible. Airplanes were stacked in holding patterns above the city or forced to return to where they came from. There was a shortage of staff to handle landings without a functioning control tower. On- and offloading cargo was proceeding anything but smoothly, and transporting it into town was also problematic.
Dutch USAR-team Rescues First Two Victims
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."