This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8458547.stm

The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 11 Version 12
UK rescuers to begin Haiti work UK rescuers to begin Haiti work
(29 minutes later)
British aid workers have begun arriving in Haiti to assist with rescue and relief efforts following the earthquake on Tuesday.British aid workers have begun arriving in Haiti to assist with rescue and relief efforts following the earthquake on Tuesday.
An 80-strong rescue team was heading for the capital, Port-au-Prince, where a 7.0-magnitude quake is feared to have killed tens of thousands of people.An 80-strong rescue team was heading for the capital, Port-au-Prince, where a 7.0-magnitude quake is feared to have killed tens of thousands of people.
Gordon Brown said the earthquake was a "tragedy beyond imagination" and urged the public to support the appeals. Gordon Brown said the earthquake was a "tragedy beyond imagination" and urged the public to donate money to help.
The UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal.The UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal.
The prime minister said the search and rescue team had landed in the country.The prime minister said the search and rescue team had landed in the country.
"The problem at the moment is that there are still many, many people who are trapped or buried under rubble, and we do not know the full scale of that catastrophe," he said."The problem at the moment is that there are still many, many people who are trapped or buried under rubble, and we do not know the full scale of that catastrophe," he said.
Mr Brown also sent a message of sympathy and support to Haitians on behalf of the British public and said the country had become the "centre of our world's attention, the world's compassion".Mr Brown also sent a message of sympathy and support to Haitians on behalf of the British public and said the country had become the "centre of our world's attention, the world's compassion".
The government has donated £6.15m to the DEC appeal, and the Queen has offered an undisclosed amount. The government has donated more than £6m to the DEC appeal and the Queen has offered an undisclosed amount.
She has sent a message to the Haiti's president, via the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She has sent a message to Haiti's president via the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
DEC APPEAL The Disasters Emergency Committee is co-ordinating an appeal to help the people of HaitiThere are 13 charities involved including the British Red Cross, Islamic Relief and World VisionDonate via the DEC website or by telephoning 0370 60 60 900DEC APPEAL The Disasters Emergency Committee is co-ordinating an appeal to help the people of HaitiThere are 13 charities involved including the British Red Cross, Islamic Relief and World VisionDonate via the DEC website or by telephoning 0370 60 60 900
She said: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the earthquake in Haiti, with its huge loss of life and damage to homes and livelihoods.She said: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the earthquake in Haiti, with its huge loss of life and damage to homes and livelihoods.
"I offer my condolences and profound sympathy to all those affected.""I offer my condolences and profound sympathy to all those affected."
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the government's donation would "kick-start" the humanitarian relief effort.International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the government's donation would "kick-start" the humanitarian relief effort.
"It is already clear that we are facing a major humanitarian crisis. Haiti needs help and it needs it now," he said."It is already clear that we are facing a major humanitarian crisis. Haiti needs help and it needs it now," he said.
He said homeless Haitians needed food, water, sanitation, shelter and medicine.He said homeless Haitians needed food, water, sanitation, shelter and medicine.
The UK rescue team's leader, Lancashire fire chief Mike Thomas, said the rescuers' first priority was to start to identify where people are still trapped. The UK rescue team's leader, Lancashire fire chief Mike Thomas, said the rescuers' first priority was to start to identify where people were still trapped.
"We're hoping to get our dogs out there quite quickly as they will be invaluable in helping to target those areas," he said."We're hoping to get our dogs out there quite quickly as they will be invaluable in helping to target those areas," he said.
Thousands dead Local supplies
The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - may need emergency aid. The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - might need emergency aid.
Mr Alexander said there were believed to be around 32 British nationals living in Port-au-Prince but that there was no indication of any British casualties as yet. Mr Alexander said there were believed to be around 32 British nationals living in Port-au-Prince but that there was no indication yet of any British casualties.
Douglas Alexander promises UK aid to Haiti
Half of the nationals still had to make contact with the UK's ambassador to Haiti.Half of the nationals still had to make contact with the UK's ambassador to Haiti.
Haitian President Rene Preval could not give an official estimate of the dead but said he had heard of figures of up to 50,000 people.Haitian President Rene Preval could not give an official estimate of the dead but said he had heard of figures of up to 50,000 people.
The DEC has launched an appeal for quake victims. The DEC, an umbrella organisation which co-ordinates responses to major disasters overseas, has already started to accept donations for its Haiti Earthquake Appeal.
It has already started to take donations and a spokesman said major UK broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4 were due to broadcast the appeal.
A spokesman for the committee said emergency supplies would be bought in areas of Haiti which had not been affected by the earthquake and would be sent directly to those in need.A spokesman for the committee said emergency supplies would be bought in areas of Haiti which had not been affected by the earthquake and would be sent directly to those in need.
Douglas Alexander promises UK aid to Haiti
Aid agencies would bring in supplies from the Dominican Republic and then the US only if that option was not possible.Aid agencies would bring in supplies from the Dominican Republic and then the US only if that option was not possible.
Mr Alexander said the UK was working in co-ordination with the US, the EU and the UN to provide relief to those affected.Mr Alexander said the UK was working in co-ordination with the US, the EU and the UN to provide relief to those affected.
He said the rescue workers would prioritise rescuing people trapped in buildings and beneath rubble.He said the rescue workers would prioritise rescuing people trapped in buildings and beneath rubble.
"But immediately after the rescue phase comes the recovery phase, providing the basic food, the basic shelter, the basic water, the basic health care that people so desperately need after an incident such as this," he said. "But immediately after the rescue phase comes the recovery phase, providing the basic food, the basic shelter, the basic water, the basic healthcare that people so desperately need after an incident such as this," he said.
DEC launches Haiti quake appeal Living sleep among dead Haiti Earthquake: Your stories In pictures: Haiti rubble
Barbara Stocking, the chief executive of Oxfam, said the situation on the ground for aid workers was difficult.
She said the charity had had a base in Haiti for many years.
"We did have prepositioned stocks - we work mainly in water and sanitation and shelter - but unfortunately, that was all destroyed in the earthquake itself, as was our office."
Save the Children's emergencies director Gareth Owen said the biggest challenge for aid workers was going to be logistics, adding that only half of the charity's staff in the country had been accounted for.Save the Children's emergencies director Gareth Owen said the biggest challenge for aid workers was going to be logistics, adding that only half of the charity's staff in the country had been accounted for.
He said up to two million children could be scarred for life by what had happened and that many could be having to deal with the aftermath alone. He said up to two million children could be scarred for life by what had happened and that many could be having to deal with the aftermath on their own.
UK charity Plan International said people were attempting to recover bodies from buildings and huge numbers of people were living on the streets.UK charity Plan International said people were attempting to recover bodies from buildings and huge numbers of people were living on the streets.
People in the UK have said they have had trouble contacting their relatives in Haiti.People in the UK have said they have had trouble contacting their relatives in Haiti.
Michel and Geanne Philistin from Bounds Green, London, told BBC Radio 4 of their own difficulties. Barbara Jones from Milton Keynes said she had not been able to contact her family since the earthquake struck.
class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8459450.stm">DEC launches Haiti quake appeal class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8458516.stm">Living sleep among dead class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8456913.stm">Haiti Earthquake: Your stories class="" href="/2/hi/in_pictures/8458291.stm">In pictures: Haiti rubble She said: "It is heartbreaking to see those images. I am trying to get in touch with my family for two days, and I cannot reach them. I do not know if they [are] well, if they survived, where they are in this moment."
Mr Philistin said: "It is dreadful... when it happens to you and your own country... you see on the TV that there's so many of them under the rubble and blood everywhere. It's terrible now at the moment." Ruth Norbury from Bristol said that although her husband Charlie's family was safe in Carrefour, she was worried about how they would manage to survive the aftermath of the earthquake.
Ruth Norbury from Bristol said that although her husband Charlie's family is safe in Carrefour, she is worried about how they will manage to survive the aftermath of the earthquake. She said: "It was impossible to get hold of them at first. I even went on social networking websites and watched the news in case they were on any video footage.
She said: "It was impossible to get hold of them at first; I even went on social networking websites and watched the news in case they were on any video footage. "When we finally found out all 11 of them had been in one house when it happened and were safe, we were so relieved.
When we finally found out all 11 of them had been in one house when it happened and were safe, we were so relieved
"But Haiti has no infrastructure, no sanitation and I'm worrying about how they will get food.""But Haiti has no infrastructure, no sanitation and I'm worrying about how they will get food."
Meanwhile the Red Cross has set up a href="www.icrc.org/familylinks">website to help people abroad to try to contact their relatives. Meanwhile the Red Cross has set up a href="http://www.icrc.org/familylinks">website to help people abroad to try to contact their relatives. A similar class="inlineText" href="http://koneksyon.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=59&page=2">site has been created by two Haitians in the US.
Rescue workers from a number of British charities and organisations including Rapid UK and Oxfam have also flown out.Rescue workers from a number of British charities and organisations including Rapid UK and Oxfam have also flown out.
Have you or your family been affected by the earthquake? Are you taking part in the relief effort? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below:Have you or your family been affected by the earthquake? Are you taking part in the relief effort? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below:
Send your pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can click here to upload.Send your pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can click here to upload.
Click here to see terms and conditionsClick here to see terms and conditions
At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & ConditionsThe BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions