I received the following email from the American Red Cross:
I’ve got a brief update for you on Haiti.
The situation is dire. Hundreds of thousands of people are feared dead. Government offices, including the Presidential Palace, have collapsed. Hospitals and the local Red Cross office have
sustained major damage. Children, families and communities are still suffering aftershocks following yesterday’s devastating earthquake.
We’re sending a team of trained Red Cross responders to support our local staff and the Haitian Red Cross volunteers already providing food, water, and medical treatment to survivors. We pledged $200,000 from our International Response Fund in relief services yesterday, and increased our commitment this morning to $1 million thanks to your advance generosity.
Additional help will be needed. To support our International Response Fund and help victims of disasters like the earthquake in Haiti, please click here:
http://american.redcross.org/HaitiRelief
Matthew Marek, who runs our office in Haiti, managed to relay the following details to us last night using Skype, an online messaging service:
some neighborhoods are completely flat. major individual home damage. no telephonei’ve seen untreatable issues. bones broken and exposed. lacerations of all kinds
medical attention is needed all throughout the capital. people are scared and gathered in the streets
there is really no place to go in many of these neighborhoods
the dust from the collapse is still lingering in the air.
If you can, please contribute to our International Response Fund today. If you already donated, please share this email with a friend. Your donation will help provide immediate relief and long-term support to victims of disasters like the earthquake in Haiti:
http://american.redcross.org/HaitiRelief
The next 48 hours are critical for life-saving operations such as search and rescue and first aid.
Thank you,
David Meltzer
Senior Vice President
International Services
American Red CrossP.S. To get the latest updates on the situation in Haiti and view photos and video, visit out our online disaster newsroom or follow us on Twitter: @RedCross.
Needless to say, every little bit helps. You can also donate $10 quickly and easily to the Red Cross by texting HAITI to 90999. More information is here.
UPDATE: From the inbox:
MEDIA ALERT
Contact: Roselene Alexis
281-857-9335
Houston Haitian Community
News Conference on Earthquake Relief Efforts
WHO: Houston’s Haitian Community
WHAT: News conference to announce community meeting on earthquake relief efforts
WHERE: Multi-Ethnic Community Center, 9819 Bissonnet
(north of 59 on west side of Bissonnet in back of shopping center)
WHEN: 10 a.m.
Friday, January 15
Houston’s Haitian Community is several thousand strong. They will discuss what they know about what’s happening in Haiti with personal stories and announce a town hall meeting to be held Friday night to update Houstonians on the situation there and how they can help the people of Haiti get through this terrible disaster.
Thanks for this, Charles. Hope everyone who reads it will donate $10 to the Red Cross, or more if they can.