Geneva: An estimated 300,000 people have
been left homeless by the devastating earthquake in Haiti,
with one in 10 homes in the capital Port-au-Prince, the United
Nations said today.
A helicopter assessment by the UN mission in Haiti found
that some areas suffered "50 per cent destruction."
"First estimates suggest some 10 per cent of the housing
in Port-au-Prince has been destroyed, which roughly translates
to about 300,000 people left homeless," said Elisabeth Byrs,
spokeswoman of the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
An OCHA in a situation report said some 3.5 million
people live in areas hit by "strong shaking" from the
7.0-magnitude earthquake that flattened much of Haitian
capital Port-au-Prince this week.
"The estimated population of Port-au-Prince is 2.8
million, with some 3.5 million people living in areas affected
by strong shaking from the earthquake," it said.
Besides Port-au-Prince, Jacmel -- an area south of the
capital and Carrefour -- a suburb close to the capital, are
also affected, according to the aerial assessment carried out
by the UN.
The agency stressed that search and rescue assistance
remains the top priority, while food, clean water and
sanitation are also critical.
"Needs are expected to increase in the short term as
assessments take place," it said, noting that casualty numbers
are increasing at hospital and clinics.
Looters break into UN warehouses in Haiti
Looters have broken into UN food
warehouses in Haiti`s crumbled capital, an official said
today, as security and logistical challenges mounted for
groups trying to feed at least 2 million people reeling from a
devastating earthquake.
The UN World Food Programme had 15,000 tons of food
aid in Haiti prior to Tuesday`s 7.0-magnitude earthquake,
stocks designed for hurricane relief. Spokeswoman Emilia
Casella said local partners reported that the UN warehouse in
Port-au-Prince`s Cite Soleil neighborhood was looted but the
agency did not know how much aid was stolen or exactly when it
was taken.
She did not give details of the other looted
warehouses, but said much of the agency`s food stocks were
located outside the capital.
Casella noted that regular food stores in the capital
also "have been cleaned out" by desperate Haitians since the
quake killed thousands and left countless more buried under
the rubble.
Distributing food and clean water to hungry and
thirsty quake survivors is the top challenge of the early
relief effort. Looting, bad roads, a ruined port, an
overwhelmed Port-au-Prince airport and fears of violence meant
most Haitians have received no help three days after the
quake.
PTI
