International relief agencies today renewed their appeals for donations to help victims of the Haiti earthquake as first consignments of aid reach the devastated country.
Aid committed by at least 30 countries began arriving in Port-au-Prince in dozens of planes that clogged the city's small airport. Because of the delays on flights, some relief groups and governments routed aid through the neighbouring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
The Haitian Red Cross said it believed 45,000 to 50,000 people had died and 3 million more - one third of Haiti's population - were hurt or left homeless by the7.0 magnitude quake that hit its impoverished capital on Tuesday.
"We have already buried 7,000 in a mass grave," President Rene Preval said.
The Irish Red Cross said today it was sending further €100,000 in emergency aid to Haiti. It sent some €25,000 to the country yesterday.
Goal also made an urgent appeal for doctors and nurses, especially those with experience of working in Third World situations to join their team in Haiti.
Plan International regional team is setting up a dedicated Haiti media phone line today. As roads are destroyed a 6-hour journey from the Dominican Republic could take up to 15 hours and Plan Ireland are not expected to make contact with the team until around 10pm tonight.
Country director of Plan Haiti Rezene Tesfamariam said in over 15 years working in disaster zones he has seen never seen “anything of this scale and magnitude.”
Oxfam said staff in the country are providing shovels and picks for local civil workers to clear rubble to search for trapped victims in the capital. Seventeen Oxfam International humanitarian experts have flown into the Dominican Republic and will arrive in Haiti later today.
Concern’s emergency response team are expected in the capital later today to supplement the existing team after aircraft were delayed from landing. The agency said 19 of its local staff are still unaccounted for.
Concern will hold a fundraising event tonight at the weekly rock' n' roll club shakedown in Pacino's on Suffolk Street, Dublin.
Admission is free and Pacino's will be donating 15 per cent of the bar's takings, plus the bar takings on all Heineken purchased, to the Concern Worldwide emergency appeal.
Christian Aid has also continued their appeal and said the Irish public had donated nearly €50,000 to date - including donations from the Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal and from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Meanwhile Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello launched an appeal on behalf of Trócaire, Concern, Goal and the Irish Red Cross.
She said collection points for donations have been established at the Mansion House, the Civic Offices, and City Hall.