CAFOD pledges £300,000 to save survivors of Haiti's earthquake
As a clearer picture emerges of the devastation from Haiti's earthquake on January 12, aid agency CAFOD have increased their pledge to £300,000 to support the vital humanitarian relief efforts of its Caritas partners.
Matthew Carter, head of CAFOD's humanitarian department, said: "The earthquake, the most powerful in Haiti 's history, has devastated the country's already improverished infrastructure, with hospitals, electricity and water supplies being severely compromised.
"Our partners on the ground have already been able to deliver tents, blankets and first aid to some of the most vulnerable people.
"The money pledged will suppport CAFOD partners to continue this work and reach many more people in urgent need of life saving humanitarian aid."
The United Nations estimates that 45,000-50,000 people have died since Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake, with 300,000 made homeless and more than three million people affected.
Fr Antonio Sandoval, Caritas Latin America regional co-ordinator, has arrived with an eight-person relief team to the ruined capital of Port-au-Prince.
Fr. Antonio and his team have identified 25 distribution points for food in Port-au-Prince and two points in Jacmel, Haiti's major cultural and artistic centre of one million people to the south of Port-au-Prince. The team will be travelling to parishes to speak with priests to coordinate with them the distribution of food and water.
Fr Antonio says: "The situation is very bad and the people are in need of water, food, and medicine. People are still on the streets and in parks, where they must sleep. A great part of the city is without electricity."
To donate to CAFOD see: cafod.force.com/donate?id=70180000000FgYo