Agencies relieving earthquake stricken Haiti

Haiti was struck on January 12 by the worst earthquake suffered in at least 200 years. The national palace is reportedly severely damaged and possibly irrepairable, the headquarters for the UN mission has been destroyed and perhaps over 100 dead there. Thousands of people are feared dead and untold numbers are homeless. Telephone service is spotty and there is no electricity at present.

The stricken nation, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, was already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The devastating quake is feared to produce pestilence and more misery to an already dire situation caused by decades of corruption, oppression, and mismanagement. The tremor registered a 7.0 on the Richter scale.

The US has promised to provide humanitarian assistance and is deploying military assets to the island to assist with medical supplies and experts. Brazilian troops, which are part of the UN mission, are already on the scene. Disaster response teams from Virginia and California have arrived, while aid from Europe and elsewhere is expected. The highly skilled disaster response team from Fairfax VA left at 8 AM on January 13 and took almost 50 tons of equipment. Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres reports that the country is devastated and is asking that hospitals in the US receive the many children injured by the quake.

For those wishing to help with relief the following agencies are accepting donations. See the links below:

Doctors Without Borders - Medecins Sans Frontieres

Red Cross

CARE

Save the Children

Catholic Relief Services

World Food Program

World Concerns

CARITAS

CAFOD

http://www.care.org/

http://www.savethechildren.org

http://www.crs.org

http://wfp.org World Food Program – world vision

http://www.yele.org

http://www.worldconcerns.org/disaster/haiti-flooding.htm

http://www.caritas.org

http://www.cafod.org.uk