UK Christian charity Tearfund is today (Wednesday, January 13, 2010) dispatching emergency funds to help survivors of the devastating earthquake that has hit Haiti, including the densely populated capital Port-Au-Prince and the surrounding area.

“Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and millions of people live in the affected area,” explains Tearfund Chief Executive Matthew Frost.

He added : “Many buildings have been destroyed or badly damaged in the capital Port-au-Prince, including the presidential palace and the five-storey UN offices. The death toll, currently in the hundreds, is expected to rise significantly. Many more people are without shelter and basic facilities.

Rescue efforts to dig people from the rubble of smashed homes, shops and offices are being hampered by blocked roads, power cuts, disrupted communications and a lack of equipment.

As Tearfund partners in Haiti assess emergency aid needs, Jennie Evans, Tearfund’s Head of Region for Latin America and the Caribbean, said : “Although detailed information about the number of people needing help is proving hard to come by, it’s clear that we are facing a very serious disaster.

“With so many buildings destroyed and so many people made homeless, the need for shelter and basic essentials such as food and water is extremely urgent.

“Communications have been severely disrupted, making logistics extremely difficult for emergency and relief agencies. We are sending disaster specialists to help our partners assess immediate needs, including emergency shelter, clean water and sanitation, nutrition and health care.

Matthew Frost is making an urgent appeal for prayer and financial support : “Please support our partners in prayer, as they themselves face the immense scale of disaster, the trauma, the destruction and loss of life that this earthquake has brought,” he says. You can find out more about our work in Haiti and give to our appeal at www.tearfund.org&#8221 ;

Assist News Service