[size=75:3lzq7uje]noninite 14 January 2010

Haiti Earthquake Death Toll Estimated at 50 000

I know this is not about Bulgaria but I think it deserves a place on here out of respect

The number the fatalities of the 7-point magnitude on the Richter scale earthquake that hit Haiti Tuesday can be anywhere between 45 000 and 50 000, a Red Cross representative, cited by the Bulgarian news agency BGNES, reports.

In addition to the staggering death toll, another estimated 3 million people have been injured and left without homes.

The US and International Monetary Fund (IMF) each pledged USD 100 M to help the victims of the disaster.

The US is also sending up to 3,500 soldiers and 2,200 marines to assist rescue efforts in the wake of the devastating earthquake, BBC reports Thursday.

President Barack Obama said Haiti would "
not be forgotten"
in its hour of need in one the biggest relief efforts in recent US history.

The search for survivors continues but rescuers lack heavy lifting equipment and many are using their bare hands.

This is a terrible thing that has happened I watched it on the news earlier and as old as I am it bought a tear to my eye, lets hope that they can find some survivors although they say it's unlikely [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Such dreadful news, thoughts and prayers are with everyone there

Oddy [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[size=75:2ugb9vcr]novinite 15 January 2010

Bulgarians in Haiti: Shame on Bulgaria for Not Sending Relief Aid

wo Bulgarians residing in Haiti have sent an open letter to the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov asking the government to send aid to those affected by earthquake.

The letter has been sent by Bulgarian expats Ralitsa Konstantinova and Alexander Seymenov. According to them, there are four or five Bulgarians currently in Haiti.

“It has become clear that the few Bulgarians in Haiti are fine but the real news that dozens of thousands of people have been killed by the earthquake and their number is rising by the hour. Today, while trying to aid the rescue work, we crossed on foot the least affected quarter of Port-au-Prince, Petionville. The street was filled with corpses that no-one is attending to, they are wrapped in rags and pestered by flies,” the letter of the two Bulgarian expats reads.

They alert the Bulgarian government that the epidemic which is expected as a result of the piles of abandoned corpses is going to bring more casualties.

“Aid is arriving from all around the world but – as we have discovered – not from Bulgaria. We Bulgarians in Haiti are few in numbers and exotic foreigners but now we will also be ashamed foreigners. The list with countries sending aid is endless but our nation is not in it. We do not want to believe this,” the letter states.

The two Bulgarians make it clear they are aware that Bulgaria does not have the capacities of its Western European neighbors, and that it is affected by the economic crisis but they nonetheless hope that it will not remain impartial to the tragedy in Haiti.

“Every subsidy will be of help – BGN 10 000 in medical supplies will save dozens of lives. You do the math and figure how much money can be allotted,” Konstantinova and Seymenov write.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Red Cross has called upon all state institutions, private companies, public organizations, and the Bulgarian society as whole for donations as a sign of solidarity with those affected by earthquake in Haiti.

The bank account announced by the Bulgarian Red Cross for donations is the following: UNICREDIT BULBANK AD, IBAN: BG 64 UNCR 7630 1078 6609 13, BIC: UNCRBGSF, Bulgarian Red Cross (for those affected by the earthquake in Haiti).

The collected donations will go to support the efforts of the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. The Bulgarian Red Cross has already provided BGN 5 000 from its own funds for Haiti relief.

[size=75:2aecnax5]Sofia echo 18 January 2010

EU states boost aid to Haiti

The contribution by the European Union and individual member states towards humanitarian assistance for Haiti currently adds up to more than 120 million euro, EU development ministers said after an emergency meeting in Brussels on January 18 2010.

Initially, the EU pledged 20 million euro but this figure was set to increase substantially after the EU development ministers meeting, while individual EU states also were boosting their contributions. Media report said that the new total for EU aid could exceed 100 million euro.

A statement after the ministers' meeting said that after the launch of the United Nations flash appeal for $575 million, "
the EU signalled its willingness to provide further humanitarian assistance in response to emerging needs"
.

For initial non-humanitarian assistance, notably on restoration of government capabilities, the EU's preliminary financial contribution amounts to 100 million euro.

German foreign ministry state secretary Werner Hoyer said that his country was increasing its pledge of aid from 1.5 million euro to 7.5 million euro.

The UK government is to treble its funding for the humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake from 2.6 million pounds sterling to 20 million pounds, the BBC said. The money will fund food, shelter, health services and relief work.

France is to release 10 million euro, having earlier called on the Paris Club to speed up the process of cancelling Haiti’s $78 million debt. About $6 million of Haiti’s debt was cancelled in the days after the January 12 2010 earthquake, the Voice of America said.

The EU development ministers' meeting called for an international conference on the crisis.

The ministers asked that an EU-wide response to the "
post-emergency rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction for long-term development needs of Haiti be submitted as soon as possible"
.

The European Commission said on January 18 that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was continuing its assistance to Haiti following the earthquake.

The death toll was currently estimated at 50 000 and 250 000 people were in urgent need of assistance and a total of three million people had been affected, according to the European Commission.

EU countries have sent 11 search and rescue teams, five field hospitals, six advanced medical posts, 14 medical teams and six water sanitation units.

Assistance in the form of medicines, shelter and logistical support is also arriving.

Nineteen EU member states have activated their civil protection capacities to assist in Haiti.

The European Commission's Monitoring and Information Centre is co-ordinating the civil protection assistance and has already approved more than a million euro in co-financing of transport of assistance.

For the first time, the European Commission deployed two EU modules (water purification and advanced medical post with surgery) from the Rapid Response Capability pilot project.

More than 4000 physical structures were destroyed or damaged in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, by the magnitude 7 earthquake.

About 2000 residential buildings have partially or totally collapsed and the same number of buildings are severely damaged.

A number of critical infrastructures such as government buildings, educational structures and hospitals have collapsed or are severely damaged.

These are the preliminary findings of a rapid damage assessment carried out by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) based on the analysis of very high resolution satellite imagery acquired before and after the disaster.

Rapid damage assessment provides valuable information in order to effectively plan relief and assistance measures, as well as for subsequent reconstruction and recovery planning efforts, the European Commission said.

In a January 18 statement, European Council President Herman van Rompuy said that in consultation with JosàLuis Rodriguez Zapatero, prime minister of Spain – the current holder of the rotating presidency of the EU – and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, he had put the Haiti situation on the agenda of the informal meeting of EU heads of state and government scheduled for February 11 in Brussels.

"
Reconstruction efforts and EU support for the proposed international conference for Haiti will be part of our discussion,"
Van Rompuy said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is providing $100 million in in emergency financing to Haiti to assist it in dealing with the aftermath of the massive and devastating earthquake, IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on January 14.

On January 17, the Voice of America quoted United States officials as saying that a trickle of international aid was reaching earthquake survivors in Haiti, "
but humanitarian needs far outpace delivery capabilities due to impassable roads, limited airlift capacity, and other challenges in the wake of last week's catastrophe"
.

Meanwhile, anger and lawlessness have escalated in Port-au-Prince and surrounding communities, as desperation grows, the Voice of America said.

[size=75:2x0gax5w]Focus news 19 January 2010

About BGN 20 000 collected on bank account for injured in Haiti quake

Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) announced Friday SMS number 1255 for subscribers of M-Tel for raising funds for earthquake victims in Haiti. Up to now, about BGN 20 000 are collected on the account, said chairman of BRC Hristo Grigorov for FOCUS News Agency.
The collecting of money continues. The number of the bank account is:
UniCredit Bulbank AD- IBAN: BG 64 UNCR 7630 1078 6609 13;
BIC: UNCRBGSF;
BULGARIAN RED CROSS.

[size=75:1dcoyl78]novinite 20 January 2010

Update

Haiti Experiences Renewed Quake Aftershocks

Aftershocks of magnitude 6.1 on the Richter scale have been registered in Haiti on Wednesday, eight days after the devastating earthquake struck on January 12.

The Geophysical Institute of the United States have announced that the tremors were felt at 11.03 pm GMT. The epicenter was 56 km northwest of the Haitian capital, Port au Prince.

The earthquake has caused panic, and led many people to evacuate buildings to escape outside. As yet, there are no reports of casualties and damage.

Just been watching the news about this and they have found a few more children still alive lets hope now they delay bringing in the big machinery [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[size=75:1rip4dh6]Sofia echo 21 January 2010

Relief efforts for Haiti being stepped up

United States military officials say an amphibious force of 4000 sailors and Marines will be diverted from scheduled deployments elsewhere and sent to Haiti to assist in earthquake relief efforts, the Voice of America said on January 21 2010.

A similar unit began to deploy onshore west of the devastated capital, Port-au-Prince on January 19. The new deployment will bring the number of US. forces being sent to Haiti to about 14 000.

US president Barack Obama told ABC television on January 20 that the US could not afford to ignore the trouble in Haiti.

Obama said that the US did not want its relief efforts to appear as if it is taking over the Caribbean country. He said that he wanted to make sure that when America projects its power around the world, it is not seen only when it is at war.

A powerful aftershock jolted Haiti on January 20, sending panicked residents screaming into the streets and bringing down some buildings already ruined by the January 12 2010 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

The 5.9 magnitude aftershock added to the trauma caused by initial quake that devastated the capital, and surrounding areas, leaving hundreds of thousands dead or homeless.

Meanwhile, the United Nations is "
straining every nerve"
to ramp up its aid to the countless victims of Haiti’s devastating earthquake, from medical care, food and water supplies to security and logistics, but there is still a very long way to go, the world body’s humanitarian chief said, according to the UN News Service.

UN Emergency Relief Co-ordinator John Holmes told a January 20 news briefing in New York he did not yet have a clear picture of extra damage that might have been caused the aftershock.

"
We’re straining every nerve again to make sure that there are the right number of doctors, the right amount of drugs and equipment and field hospitals,"
Holmes said, voicing deep concern at the very large number of injured who may be infected or waiting for urgent surgical treatment.

"
We’re hoping that we’ll be able to turn a corner there very soon,"
he said, adding that there were already seven field hospitals and others on the way as well as a US hospital ship.

The UN is stepping up significantly its efforts to reach cities outside Port-au-Prince, particularly Jacmel, as well as places like LÃÂogâne that were also very badly damaged, and may have been hit further by today’s aftershock.

"
Search and rescue teams are there in most cases and aid is being delivered in increasing quantities but still very limited compared to the need,"
Holmes said.

The European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Karel De Gucht was expected in Haiti on January 21, where he was to assess the current and future allocation of relief aid coming from the European bloc, Deutsche Welle reported.

De Gucht’s visit "
will be an opportunity to assess the immediate life-saving humanitarian aid needs, as well as the medium and long-term requirements for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country,"
the European Commission said in a statement on January 20.

De Gucht, who will be in Haiti until January 22, was also scheduled to meet Haitian and UN authorities, as well as the main aid representatives on the scene, to discuss the co-ordination of the overall relief effort, the European Commission said.

[size=75:g7rr2qgn]novinite 23 January 2010

Haiti Earthquake Search and Rescue Operation Ends

The government of Haiti have made the decision to declare the search and rescue phase of the relief operation at an end.

The announcement has come a day after two people were successfully pulled from the rubble in the Haitian capital, Port au Prince.

UN spokesperson Elizabeth Byrs, speaking in Geneva, said that a total of 132 survivors had been rescued during the 11 days since the earthquake had struck on January 12.

She said the decision to end the rescue phase was "
heartbreaking"
, but that it had been taken following expert advice.

Most of the international teams would now leave Haiti, leaving only some with lifting equipment to help with cleaning up and with distribution of aid, the BBC has reported.

Byrs added that humanitarian relief efforts were still being scaled up in Port au Prince, and in the towns of Jacmel, Leogane and other areas affected by the earthquake.

At least 75,000 bodies have so far been buried in mass graves, according to the Haiti government, and many more remain uncollected in the streets.

An estimated 1.5 million people were left homeless by the 7.0-magnitude quake, which is estimated to have killed as many as 200,000 people.

[size=75:12dkgzs4]novinite 25 January 2010

Devastated Haiti Hit by New 5,5 Aftershock

Aftershocks of magnitude 5,5 on the Richter scale have been registered in Haiti Monday, 13 days after the devastating earthquake struck on January 12.

The Geophysical Institute of the United States have announced that the tremors were felt at 5:51 pm local time. The epicenter was 4 km deep.

The death toll from the January 12 7 point magnitude on the Richter scale quake is currently reported at 150 000 while 200 000 have been injured. Over 1,5 million are said to have been left homeless. On January 20, another aftershock, of a 6,1 magnitude was registered 56 km northwest of the Haitian capital, Port au Prince.

The UN representatives there say they are in urgent need of soldiers, vehicles and gasoline in order to help the victims of the disaster. They further announced that former US President, Bill Clinton, had vowed to sent about 100 armored vehicles to assist the rescue operations.

Will this country and its people ever get a break it seems to be going downhill all the time and from what I see on the news the help that's been sent out there is not doing anything they say the us is in control and they are giving preference to their troops getting in before aid what are they playing at

[size=75:2vu5qxu4]novinite 26 January 2010

Bulgaria Farmer Donates 2 Tons of Apples to Haiti Quake Victims

A Bulgarian farmer from the Danube Region of Vidin is asking for State help to transport 2 tons of apples to earthquake devastated Haiti.

Ivan Farkov, who grows apples, wants to donate the fruit to the victims of the disaster, but does not have the funds to ship them.

“I was very disappointed to hear on the news that Bulgaria cannot help the people of Haiti over the lack of resources. And as a normal person, worrying that thousands of innocent souls are dying, I decided to send some food that I make, because I too, don’t have any money,” Farkov says.

The farmer has about 60 tons of apples, but has a hard time selling them since the fruit imported from Macedonia, Italy and Poland, costs much less.

Farkov, however, points out this is not the main reason for his donation and he is led by the natural human desire to help.

The apples have been tested for metal and other harmful substances content and are said to be in perfect condition.

[size=75:513lbjd4]novinite 28 January 2010

Bulgarian Red Cross Collects BGN 180 000 for Haiti Quake Victims

The Bulgarian Red Cross has collected BGN 180 000 for disaster relief for earthquake ravaged Haiti.

The amount was announced for Darik radio Thursday by the Bulgarian Red Cross Chair, Hristo Grigorov. The charity campaign will end on February 15.

Grigorov says that 16 days after the devastating earthquake, people in Haiti are still in dire need of medication, medical assistance, tents, food, infrastructure.

According to the Red Cross Chair, the earthquake is a global disaster since unofficial data lists the death toll at nearly 300 000.

Those wishing to donate funds for the victims can send a short text message (SMS) to the 1225 number or via bank transfer to the Red Cross bank account: Unicredit Bulbank, IBAN: BG 64 UNCR 7630 1078 6609 13, BIC: UNCRBGSF, Bulgarian Red Cross.

Update: Haiti earthquake plea raises £70m
2 hours 6 mins ago


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Oddy