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/8460380.stm

The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 9 Version 10
UK Haitians anxiously await news Britons donate millions to Haiti
(about 3 hours later)
Haitians living in the UK are desperately awaiting news of loved ones in the earthquake-hit country. Britons have donated more than £2m to an appeal to help earthquake-stricken Haiti in the space of 36 hours.
The anxiety of the 1,000-strong UK Haitian community is being prolonged by crippled communications networks. The Disasters Emergency Committee said it was "delighted", while Gordon Brown said there had been an "extraordinary" response from the British public.
UK rescue workers are among those trying to find survivors. So far 30 Britons have been found safe and well, but a UK woman is still missing.
Meanwhile, Haitians in the UK are awaiting news of loved ones.
Up to 50,000 people on the Caribbean island are feared dead after Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake.Up to 50,000 people on the Caribbean island are feared dead after Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
UK rescue workers are trying to find survivors. Thirty Britons were found safe and well, but concern is growing for one missing British woman. The aid operation is being hampered by poor infrastructure - the small airport is struggling to deal with the number of flights and the roads and port have been badly damaged.
Among those anxiously waiting for news is Shelane Chapman from Downham in Kent. She has no idea what has happened to her family in Carrefour-Sevilles. 'Keep giving'
We keep redialling my mother's mobile number but it just won't work. If the house has gone, where could she be? Where could they all be? Shelane Chapman The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organisation which co-ordinates responses to major disasters overseas, thanked the British public for their contribution to its quake appeal so far.
We keep redialling my mother's mobile number but it just won't work. If the house has gone, where could she be? Where could they all be? Shelane Chapman Haiti quake aid effort hampered DEC launches Haiti quake appeal Living sleep among dead Haiti Earthquake: Your stories In pictures: Haiti rubble
Among the donations was an undisclosed amount from the Queen.
DEC chief executive Brendan Gormley said they were "delighted" at the public's generosity.
"Efforts on the ground have been hampered by a lack of power and communications problems after the devastating quake but aid is starting to get through and DEC members are working hard in the field," he said.
"Our message to the public is, thank you for your efforts so far but it is vitally important that people continue to donate to increase the amount of aid that can be delivered to help the millions of people affected by this terrible earthquake."
The £2m figure for online giving was hit at around 0800 GMT on Friday, and donations by other means are not included. The DEC's main television advert is to broadcast later on Friday.
'Bad thing'
Shelane Chapman, from Downham in Kent, is one of the 1,000-strong Haitian community in the UK. She has no idea what has happened to her family.
She heard rumours her mother's house collapsed in the earthquake, killing her six-year-old cousin, but has been unable to verify the news.She heard rumours her mother's house collapsed in the earthquake, killing her six-year-old cousin, but has been unable to verify the news.
Mrs Chapman's mother, Gisele Augustine-Senatuy, 62, a pregnant sister and 11 other relatives, are missing. Lucy Sheppard, BBC News at a relief depot in Bicester, Oxfordshire Disposable latrines and buckets - not the most glamorous of supplies, but essential items for saving lives in the aftermath of the earthquake that has devastated Haiti. Hygiene is the key challenge facing Oxfam's aid workers, and its Bicester warehouse is piled high with equipment to establish sanitation and a clean water supply. Boxes of temporary water tanks tower over pallets of buckets; as one team member told me, there is no point in providing clean water if people cannot take it away. There are also water testing kits so, if any existing supplies remain accessible in Haiti, aid workers can establish whether it is safe for people to drink. Much of the equipment is boxed up and ready to go - the key question now is whether Oxfam can find transport to get its supplies into the devastated country.
Mrs Chapman, who herself is seven months pregnant, said: "We're sick with worry because we can't get through at all. We keep redialling my mother's mobile number but it just won't work. If the house has gone, where could she be? Where could they all be? Mrs Chapman said: "We're sick with worry because we can't get through at all. We keep redialling my mother's mobile number but it just won't work. If the house has gone, where could she be? Where could they all be?"
"My seven-year-old daughter Genevive is scared about what has happened to her gran. She said she wished she was a magician so she could make the bad thing that happened to Haiti go away."
Judith Craig of United Haitians in the UK, says the charity has seen its membership jump since the earthquake hit.Judith Craig of United Haitians in the UK, says the charity has seen its membership jump since the earthquake hit.
Pulling together
She attributes the increase to people wanting to find out more and seek solidarity with others.She attributes the increase to people wanting to find out more and seek solidarity with others.
She said Haitians in the UK were pulling together as "people's lives are dependent on this". The Red Cross has set up a class="inlineText" 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.
British rescue workers have begun trying to find survivors among the devastation. Rescue operation
The team, equipped with heavy-lifting gear, said it was planning to send in dogs to search for anyone trapped.
Lucy Sheppard, BBC News at a relief depot in Bicester, Oxfordshire Disposable latrines and buckets - not the most glamorous of supplies, but essential items for saving lives in the aftermath of the earthquake that has devastated Haiti. Hygiene is the key challenge facing Oxfam's aid workers, and its Bicester warehouse is piled high with equipment to establish sanitation and a clean water supply. Boxes of temporary water tanks tower over pallets of buckets; as one team member told me, there is no point in providing clean water if people cannot take it away. There are also water testing kits so, if any existing supplies remain accessible in Haiti, aid workers can establish whether it is safe for people to drink. Much of the equipment is boxed up and ready to go - the key question now is whether Oxfam can find transport to get its supplies into the devastated country.
The Foreign Office is checking on Britons in the country and will start repatriations, but concern is growing for a missing British woman, Ann Barnes, a PA to the UN police commissioner in Haiti.The Foreign Office is checking on Britons in the country and will start repatriations, but concern is growing for a missing British woman, Ann Barnes, a PA to the UN police commissioner in Haiti.
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 60 900 DEC radio appeal
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of reports that (Ms Barnes) is missing and we are aware that the building she was working in collapsed. The UN has confirmed a number of deaths but has not given confirmation of her death."A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of reports that (Ms Barnes) is missing and we are aware that the building she was working in collapsed. The UN has confirmed a number of deaths but has not given confirmation of her death."
The quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries, has flattened whole areas in the country's capital, Port-au-Prince.
In response the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal in the UK, with a TV advert due to be aired later.
Asked what was needed to help efforts in Haiti, Brendan Gormley, director of the DEC, told the BBC: "It's money. It's as simple as that.
"What your reports perhaps haven't mentioned is that most of the charities have been in Haiti for years because it is such a poor country. They have literally hundreds of staff.
"They are ready to go if we can tell them that we've got £5m in the bank account.
"Of course the international community with the American military need to ramp up their efforts, but the private voluntary sector can do its bit, and this is why we're launching the appeal."
The UK ambassador to the Dominican Republic and other consular staff have gone to neighbouring Haiti.The UK ambassador to the Dominican Republic and other consular staff have gone to neighbouring Haiti.
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 class="" href="http://www.dec.org.uk">DEC website or by telephoning 0370 60 60 900 class="" href="/2/hi/in_depth/8460620.stm">DEC radio appeal A British search and rescue team - made up of 71 people, mostly from the fire services, and including two search dogs - flew to the region on Thursday; however not all have made it to Haiti.
A British search and rescue team - made up of 71 people, mostly from the fire services, and two search dogs - flew to the region on Thursday; however not all had arrived in Haiti.
Peter Stevenson, who is a member of the team, told the BBC most of the workers had arrived: "I think we've been victims of our own success, we were actually in the Dominican Republic within 24 hours, the problem being that the airport was shut in Port-au-Prince because they didn't have electricity.Peter Stevenson, who is a member of the team, told the BBC most of the workers had arrived: "I think we've been victims of our own success, we were actually in the Dominican Republic within 24 hours, the problem being that the airport was shut in Port-au-Prince because they didn't have electricity.
"We've got 40 of our people up in Port-au-Prince at the moment and their task will be search and rescue."We've got 40 of our people up in Port-au-Prince at the moment and their task will be search and rescue.
"Although there is a lot of serious damage to the buildings we're hopeful there are voids created in the damaged structures which will enable us to find live casualties.""Although there is a lot of serious damage to the buildings we're hopeful there are voids created in the damaged structures which will enable us to find live casualties."
On Thursday Gordon Brown said the earthquake was a "tragedy beyond imagination" and urged the public to donate money to help. British aid workers are already in Haiti and more are being flown out, as are emergency items such as food, water and tents.
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said a government donation of £6.2m would help provide homeless Haitians with food, water, sanitation, shelter and medicine. The quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries, has flattened whole areas in the country's capital, Port-au-Prince.
Meanwhile, the Queen has donated an undisclosed amount to the DEC. Many Haitians spent a third night without shelter or in makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince, where bodies have been building up outside the city's mortuaries.
DEC launches Haiti quake appeal Living sleep among dead Haiti Earthquake: Your stories In pictures: Haiti rubble
In addition to the rescue team, British aid workers are already in Haiti and more are being flown out.
The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - might need emergency aid.
But chaos on the ground and infrastructure damage have been holding up aid efforts.
Aid has been arriving from around the world, but there is little sign of help beyond the airport, correspondents say.
Many Haitians spent a third night without shelter or in makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince.
Oxfam said its stocks of water, sanitation and shelter were all destroyed in the earthquake, along with the charity's office.
The Red Cross has set up a website to help people abroad to try to contact their relatives. A similar site has been created by two Haitians in the US.
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