Two lay missionaries with Viatores Christi, Maeve Bracken from Co Offaly and Gena Heraty from Co Mayo survived the earthquake that has left many thousands of people dead in Haiti.
Ms Heraty made contact with colleagues in Dublin and described Port-au-Prince as "a scene of utter devastation".
Ms Bracken was in the final months of a two-year assignment with the NPH organisation in Kenscoff, Haiti.
She had been working with 33 children in the special needs unit of the St Helen orphanage, most of whom were abandoned at a young age due to their disabilities.
Ms Heraty went to Haiti more than 16 years ago and is director of special needs for NPH Haiti.
PA