Haiti Quake Updates

February 6, 2010

Handling a crisis on the scale of Haiti | BBC News

Troops, doctors and aid workers are flowing into Haiti, while nations pledge millions of dollars in aid. But how do you handle a crisis of this magnitude? Richard Gordon and Mike Evans of the Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre, outline the planning and potential pitfalls of such an operation. Read the Full Article>>>

Filed under // bbc earthquake haiti logistics transportation united nations wash water and sanitation

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January 18, 2010

Tight airspace, poor communications hinder aid effort | CNN

Doctors Without Borders reported that flights carrying critical medical equipment were being diverted to the neighboring Dominican Republic. Oxfam warned that fuel shortages could be on the horizon. And a volunteer at a hospital in northern Haiti said he has large numbers of open beds, but no way to get patients there from Port-au-Prince.

"My surgeons are sitting around looking at each other, wondering why they came," Tim Traynor told CNN.

While visiting the injured at a U.N. clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haitian President Rene Preval said his ravaged population -- already the Western Hemisphere's poorest -- needs medicine, food and long-term reconstruction assistance.

"The more we receive help, the more we can take care of them," he said.

Louis Belanger, a spokesman for Oxfam in Port-au-Prince, said many roads have been cleared of debris since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on Tuesday. That has allowed trucks to deliver aid to parts of the capital and its suburbs that had been cut off by collapsed buildings.

But with thousands of tons of aid heading into Haiti, the airport in Port-au-Prince "can't handle all the aid that's coming through," Belanger said.

via edition.cnn.com

Filed under // aid cnn doctors without borders earthquake fuel haiti logistics louis belanger msf oxfam

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January 17, 2010

Patients overwhelm medical teams at Haiti clinics | Washington Post

Top State Department and military officials on the ground in Haiti said their ability to quickly get vital food and water in Haitians' hands has been hampered by their reliance on Port-au-Prince's tiny airport. Because of damaged roads and a devastated port, an airfield that typically serves three flights a day and lacks electricity and a functioning tower is having to handle up to 60 civilian flights a day.

The airport has been swarmed by incoming flights carrying emergency relief items from many nations, and some officials and organizations have been angered that the U.S. military took over prioritizing which flights it considered the most important to gain entry.

After the complaint from Doctors Without Borders, its hospital plane was given clearance to land around 3 p.m. Sunday. An Air Force official said the military had 67 civilian flights trying to arrive Saturday, and turned away only three.

via washingtonpost.com

Filed under // aid airport doctors without borders earthquake haiti logistics medical msf port-au-prince relief washington post

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January 16, 2010

VIDEO: Oxfam aid to Haiti being loaded on flight from UK, 10 tonnes is on its way

via youtube.com

A flight of 10 tonnes of aid left Heathrow at 08.30 GMT today (Saturday). It will arrive Santo Domingo 10.00pm today local time (03.00 GMT). Jim Kerr, an Oxfam Logistician is on board. The aid is water and sanitation equipment, chlorine for drinking water treatment, buckets, plastic sheeting and body bags. Oxfam expects another flight from UK on Tuesday and one more on Friday next week. Please support http://bit.ly/oihaiti