UN Secretary General Addresses Haiti

UNITED NATIONS — As supplies and rescue teams are beginning to arrive in Port-au-Prince, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon told reporters Thursday that he was unable to offer any concrete figures for civilian casualties. “It will take many days before we can make even an educated guess as to the death toll. I fear it could be very high”

The Secretary General spoke to US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice earlier in the day to see how the administration can best assist in the relief effort.Helicopters, medical workers and engineers have been identified as top priorities.

In a press conference via video link, MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) officials at the logistic base near the Port-au-Prince airport confirmed that flights were landing regularly, but said experts were needed to assist with air traffic, as the airport’s control tower was destroyed during the quake.

Acting head of the mission in Haiti Kim Bolduc stated that damaged IT and communications networks were also hampering the relief efforts, and that addressing these issues was of the utmost urgency in order to facilitate the distribution of food, water, medical supplies and temporary shelter. Various NGO’s and UN department such as the World Health Organization, World Food Program, UNICEF and the International Organization for Migration are actively taking part in these distribution efforts, and a UN disaster assessment and coordination team is scheduled to arrive later today.

French, Chinese, Dominican and American teams are currently working on the ground to locate possible survivors with search dogs and audio equipment, but the process remains delicate and difficult.

Bolduc stated that she saw no evidence of widespread looting or violence, but believes the international community will need to provide basic needs to a significant portion of victims quickly to prevent any possible civil unrest. Port-au-Prince has been without power since the quake and many survivors are sleeping in the streets and are in dire need of food, water and medical assistance.