Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update for Haiti.
Officials are currently stating that the 7.0-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that occurred on Tuesday, January 12, may have taken the lives of over 100,000 people in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. Countless others were trapped in the rubble of scores of collapsed buildings.
Bernt Aasen - UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and Caribbean: It had a center here just about 17 kilometers from Port-au-Prince and the destruction in the city is unbelievable. We don’t have any indication yet of the number of people that killed or injured but we are talking about thousands.

Ann M. Veneman – UNICEF Executive Director: It is estimated that 46% of Haiti’s nearly 10 million people are under the age of 18. The special needs of children for food, shelter, and protection must be factored in at the very onset of relief efforts.  With a peacekeeping mission headquartered in the city, the United Nations has confirmed at least 16 personnel perished, with 56 injured and 100 still unaccounted for. Widespread electricity outages in the aftermath have plunged the city into darkness at night, escalating the distress as the many injured overwhelm hospital grounds and other survivors search desperately for missing relatives as well as basic supplies like food and water.

Meanwhile, teams from countries around the globe are beginning to arrive, with the first priorities being search, rescue and medical treatment. With deep condolences and her heartfelt prayers, Supreme Master Ching Hai had asked our Association members to go and help the afflicted, offering funds as necessary to assist.

An initial amount of US$20,000 has been made available if needed to purchase medical and other materials.
This amount could acquire US$725,000 in emergency goods in the United States, based on Haiti’s cost of living. Two joint relief teams from the US and Canada, including three medical doctors, a nurse, and our Haitian Association member as a translator are obtaining supplies and swiftly going to attend to those most in need.

We thank all the international and Haitian government personnel for your concern and timely response.
Our gratefulness also for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s direct aid to comfort the quake-affected. We send our sympathies for the lives lost as we pray for Heaven’s protection of the survivors.
May we all work to ease calamities as these by living in greater harmony with the environment.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704362004575000460345415900.html
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/americas/UN-Says-At-Least-16-Personnel-Killed-in-Haiti-Quake-81460232.html
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/americas/HAITI-RECOVERY-81427942.html
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/01/14/world/international-us-quake-haiti.html