Cablegate: Tfha01: Haiti Earthquake Task Force Situation

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TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 1987
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 3026
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RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 7529
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 003640

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA
SUBJECT: TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION
REPORT NO. 2

STATE 00003640 001.2 OF 002

EMBASSY STATUS, CASUALTIES, RESPONSE
--------------------------------------------- --------------

1. (SBU) Embassy Port-au-Prince (PaP) confirms planes
departed overnight and anticipates planes will be able to
land. The embassy is investigating to confirm the tarmac
is operational. Brazilian and Chilean military aircraft
are expected to land January 13 in PaP to provide relief
supplies to MINUSTAH. (TFl/Embassy Port-au-Prince telcon)

2. (SBU) Eight embassy employees have been injured; four
seriously and are in need of medevac. Two American
employees remain unaccounted for and Post is still
attempting to account for all locally employed staff.
Embassy housing is badly damaged. Embassy medical
supplies are exhausted and in need of restocking.
(TFl/Embassy Port-au-Prince telcon)

3. (SBU) The embassy is drawing up a list of
approximately 80 non-emergency personnel and family
members for ordered departure.
(TFl/Embassy Port-au-Prince telcon)

AMERICAN CITIZEN WELFARE
------------------------------------

4. (SBU) A seriously injured U.S. citizen appeared at the
embassy gates; a local physician was assisting. The U.S.
citizen was reportedly crushed in a building collapse and
it is likely his wife and several other U.S. citizens are
trapped inside. The major shopping center frequented by
westerners collapsed, and it is likely U.S. citizens were
injured or killed. Approximately 40 U.S. citizens were
staying in the Carib Hotel, which was damaged. Roads in
Port-Au-Prince are largely impassable. (TFl/Embassy Port-
au-Prince telcon)

5. (SBU) The Consular Call Center has handled 649 calls,
and Task Force 2 and Post have logged 418 calls in the
Crisis Task Force software application. Wait time is
currently 30 minutes for callers to the call center. Post
has issued a warden message advising the U.S. citizen
community of conditions in Haiti. The Department has
cleared a Travel Alert for dissemination. SOUTHCOM is
working with post to evaluate critically injured official
and private U.S. citizens. (TFl/TF2/Consular Call Center
e-mails)

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN QUEUE
----------------------------------

6. (SBU) The Port-au-Prince Chief of Police reported to
SOUTHCOM, and American Airlines confirmed, the tower at
the PaP airport collapsed. SOUTHCOM will insert an
airfield team with a portable Air Traffic Control package
as soon as possible. PaP airfield is expected to be
operational within the next 24 hours. (TFl/American
Airlines e-mail, TF1/SOUTHCOM telcon)

7. (SBU) OFDA's Disaster Assistance Response Team
insertion and other foreign assistance is dependent on
getting the airport functioning. If the airport is not
available within 48 hours, OFDA plans to land in the
Dominican Republic and cross over land. (TF1/OFDA telcon)

8. (U) The international Red Cross and other aid groups
say they are preparing a major disaster relief effort in
Haiti. ICRC spokesman Simon Schorno said the Haitian Red
Cross staff are overwhelmed. He said there is "very
little information about the scale of the disaster."
Britain, France, Mexico, Venezuela, and Taiwan have
pledged to send aid teams. (AP)

INFRASTRUCTURE SEVERELY AFFECTED
---------------------------------

9. (SBU) Aftershocks were still severe early January 13.
A team traveled out to the airport; roads remained crowded
with people but are usable. Communications still remain
poor. Post estimates there are 45,000 U.S. citizens in
Haiti as a result of dual citizenship.
(TF1/DCHA/AA e-mail)

10. (SBU) Post anticipates significant food shortages and
looting in the affected areas. All hospitals in the
greater PaP vicinity are full. (TFl/Embassy Port-au-
Prince telcon)

11. (U) Additional updates are available through our
Intellipedia portal on the classified system at:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Cris is Haiti.
CLINTON

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