Monday 18 January 2010

Haiti Update.

The relief effort in Haiti is picking up pace. There are now a dozen or so aid distribution points throughout Port-au-Prince. Yesterday (Sunday) these distributed 200 tonnes of food and water to 95,000 people. By the end of today they hope to supply another 100,000 people and by tomorrow it is expected to rise to another 150,000. Work has already begun identifying aid distribution outside of the capital so the best advice to people in Haiti is to stay where they are because aid will come to them in the next couple of days if it hasn't done so already.

The biggest problem distributing aid is that there is still only one airport which still only has one runway. This means that the various countries and charities involved in the aid effort need to make getting the sea port open and working a major priority. They may also want to start seriously considering unloading aid supplies in Florida before repacking them on to US military aircraft who can shuttle down what is needed when it is needed to both the airport and the aircraft carrier.

There has been a little bit of social unrest/rioting but this is not yet a major problem. In fact there has probably been more serious unrest in the UK today outside Brighton's favourite bomb factory. In Haiti it would probably be a good idea if the police/security forces kept a low profile as possible until they actually have something helpful to contribute. Likewise it would be best if the Haitians could try and keep the violence to a minimum because it would be much better for all concerned if those soldiers and police officers were spending their time unloading aid from aeroplanes and loading it onto to trucks then having to force their way through the country with riot shields and baton rounds.

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