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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.
source:ft.com
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.
source:ft.com
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