Helping Haiti now focus of entire world, says Gordon Brown

Published on Wednesday 13 January 2010 21:36

A MASSIVE global operation was launched yesterday to support Haiti after a devastating earthquake left the country completely stricken.

• A private house in Petion-ville Rue Louverture badly damaged after the major earthquake. Picture: Getty

President Barack Obama was joined by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, international aid groups and the United Nations in promising large sums of money and expertise to rebuild the country.

Calling on all countries to join together to help Haiti, the United States president said: "We are reminded of the common humanity that we all share. We have to be there for them in their hour of need."

The Prime Minister promised emergency aid for Haiti, amid fears that the death toll could reach 500,000.

He told the Commons: "Because of the devastating earthquake, Haiti has moved to the centre of the world's thoughts and the world's compassion.

"The government will respond with emergency aid in firefighters, emergency equipment and finance.

"And we'll give further support to help the people of Haiti recover from this devastating event."

Governments around the world pledged large sums of money to the aid effort.

Britain announced an initial emergency funding package of 2.7 million. A four-man team was sent by the Department for International Development to assess the damage and a team of 64 rescue specialists with dogs and heavy equipment departed from Gatwick airport.

The US pledged "all-out support", sending rescue teams and a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with 2,000 troops to the country.

The European Union and the UN both pledged large sums, giving 4m and 10m respectively.

Charities in Britain launched multi-million-pound emergency appeals to help the millions of people left injured or homeless by the earthquake.

The public is being asked to donate money to help provide clean water, shelter and medical help to people in the Caribbean country, described as one of the poorest on Earth.

Many aid agencies expressed fears that outbreaks of waterborne disease, such as cholera, could follow in the wake of the catastrophic damage to Haiti's densely populated capital, Port-au-Prince.

Oxfam, launching its appeal, said it had a 100-strong team working across the country and would be responding with public health, water and sanitation services to prevent the spread of waterborne disease.

Penny Lawrence, Oxfam's international director, said: "More than 85 per cent of people in Haiti already live in poverty. With major buildings destroyed, it is likely that less well-constructed homes will be even more seriously affected.

"This earthquake is grim news for the poor people of Haiti. We are calling for the generous support of the UK public to help us save lives."

Save the Children, which has 60 staff working in Haiti, said it was appealing for 3m to fund the emergency response, saying that the number of casualties was expected to rise significantly.

The British Red Cross also launched an appeal, saying it had released 200,000 immediately from its disaster fund.

Its disaster response manager, Pete Garratt, said: "The most urgent needs are search and rescue, hospital care, emergency health support, clean water and shelter."

Christian Aid launched a 1m emergency appeal for victims. Coldplay singer Chris Martin and Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis backed the Oxfam calls for funds.

Martin, who travelled to Haiti with Oxfam in 2002, said: "It's a country of extreme poverty and brutal living conditions. The earthquake that has struck Haiti will have turned the city into an unimaginable hell."

Ms Eavis added: "They do not have the resources needed to cope with a disaster of this scale. That is what makes this so much worse."