Bhutan

DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE STRUCK HAITI

On Tuesday afternoon, a massive earthquake struck Haiti, devastating the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Tens of thousands of people are feared dead and about 3 million are affected.

The international humanitarian community is mobilizing its resources urgently to provide assistance to people who have been affected by this disaster, in support of the Government of Haiti's response efforts. Needs are likely to be great as we gain a better understanding of the dimensions of the crisis.
The overall security and public order is being maintained. The UN has over 3,000 peacekeeping forces in and around Port-au-Prince to help maintain order and assist in relief efforts. They have been working day and night to reach those trapped under the rubble.

The UN is mobilising an emergency response team to help coordinate humanitarian relief efforts. Supplies have arrived and are continuing to arrive by airlift. Rescue is already on the ground, with more to come.

Approximately 150 UN staff remain unaccounted for. Roughly 100 of them were likely in the UN headquarters building, the Christopher Hotel, when it collapsed. So far, we know that 9 UN police officers have been injured and 4 killed. Another 18 remain missing.

Three Bhutanese (Ms. Gelay Wangmo, Ms. Karma Yeden and Mr. Bhanu Bhakta Acharya) are working for the UN in Haiti, and they are all confirmed safe. Ms. Wangmo and Ms. Karma were on leave and were luckily out of the country. Mr. Bhamu who was in Haiti when the earthquake struck, is also confirmed safe.

UNDP continues to send material and extra staff to bolster the operational capacity. This includes early recovery specialists who will start planning the next phase of the work in Haiti. UNDP have released approximately $400,000 to mobilize the first efforts.

Our thoughts are with our colleagues and the people of Haiti. For updated information on the Haiti earthquake please visit http://www.reliefweb.org or http://www.un.org/news/

[18-January-2010] Updates: 37 UN staff confirmed dead, more than 300 missing.

[UNCT website] AID arrives in Haiti as relief operations mobilize.