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UK rescue team heading to Haiti UK rescuers begin work in Haiti
(about 1 hour later)
British aid workers have arrived in the Caribbean to assist rescue and relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Wednesday.British aid workers have arrived in the Caribbean to assist rescue and relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Wednesday.
A team from the UK government and 71 rescue specialists with dogs and heavy equipment are heading to Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. A team from the UK government and 71 rescue specialists are heading to Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.
The 7.0-magnitude quake that hit south of the capital is feared to have killed thousands. The 7.0-magnitude quake that hit south of the capital is feared to have killed thousands of people.
The UK Disasters Emergency Committee has launched an official appeal. The UK Disasters Emergency Committee has launched an appeal, with the government donating £6.15m.
The UK team's leader, Lancashire fire chief Mike Thomas, has said the rescuers are hoping to arrive in Port-au-Prince soon and are expecting "widespread devastation". International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the money would "kick-start" the humanitarian relief effort.
The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - may need emergency aid. "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.
The UK team's leader, Lancashire fire chief Mike Thomas, said the rescuers' first first priority was to start to identify where people are still trapped.
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
International Development Secretary Douglas 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. "We're hoping to get our dogs out there quite quickly as they will be invaluable in helping to target those areas," he said.
The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - may 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.
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 country's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said that more than 100,000 people could have died.
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal for quake victims.The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal for quake victims.
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.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.
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.
Douglas Alexander promises UK aid to Haiti
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.
Living sleep among dead Haiti Earthquake: Your stories In pictures: Haiti 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 health care that people so desperately need after an incident such as this," he said.
He said many people were unwilling to go back into buildings: "So there are not just bodies in the streets but people are actually living on the streets at the moment".He said many people were unwilling to go back into buildings: "So there are not just bodies in the streets but people are actually living on the streets at the moment".
The BBC's Matthew Price in Port-au-Prince said there were bodies lying by the side of the road in various places. People in the UK have said they have had trouble contacting their relatives in Haiti.
He said he had visited one hospital where hundreds of bodies had been piled up and people had been wearing face masks because the stench "was absolutely revolting". Michel and Geanne Philistin from Bounds Green, London, told BBC Radio 4 of their own difficulties.
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."
Living sleep among dead Haiti Earthquake: Your stories In pictures: Haiti rubble
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and has sent a message of support to the UN.Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and has sent a message of support to the UN.
British charities have already pledged to help with Save the Children, which has 60 staff working in Haiti, releasing £50,000 and launching an appeal for £3m.British charities have already pledged to help with Save the Children, which has 60 staff working in Haiti, releasing £50,000 and launching an appeal for £3m.
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.
Meanwhile the Red Cross has set up a website to help people abroad to try to contact their relatives.Meanwhile the Red Cross has set up a website to help people abroad to try to contact their relatives.
More than 100 UN staff are still unaccounted for. Rescue workers from a number of British charities and organisations including Rapid UK and Oxfam have also flown out.
The BBC's correspondent David Loyn was on a flight with search and rescue volunteers from the UK which has just landed in the Dominican Republic.
He says the teams were focusing on the potential of finding people alive in the rubble but they were aware there would be problems once they got to Haiti, especially as there was "no real co-ordination and organisation of the people who had lost their homes".
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:
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