Cablegate: Tfha01: Haiti Earthquake Task Force Situation Report

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 004843

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. 20

STATE 00004843 001.2 OF 003

VIP TRAVEL
----------

1. (SBU) UNSYG Ban arrived in Port-au-Prince, and visited
the destroyed UN Headquarters. (TF1/IO rep)

2. (SBU) Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL) flew to the
Dominican Republic and drove overland to Haiti; he overflew
the capital with Ambassador Merten. (TF1/H rep)

3. (SBU) Senator Dodd (D-CT) has asked to visit Haiti as soon
as possible. (TF1/H rep)

SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR)
----------------------

4. (SBU) As of 1400 EST, U.S. Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
teams had performed 29 live rescues. To date, international
USAR teams have rescued a total of 61 individuals throughout
Port-au-Prince. (TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

5. (SBU) However, a U.N. Spokesperson has stated that SAR
workers have rescued more than 70 people. (AP)

COMMODITY FLOW
--------------

6. (SBU) Six additional water treatment units from the
USAID/OFDA
stockpile in Dubai are in the commodity pipeline.
(TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

AMERICAN CITIZEN WELFARE/WHEREABOUTS/EVACUATIONS
--------------------------------------------- ------------

7. (SBU) As of 1430, 145 Americans have departed Port-au-
Prince.
A total of 2086 Americans have been evacuated to date.
(TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

8. (SBU) As of 1430, 300 Americans are at the airport; 288
Americans are at the Embassy; 374 are outside the Embassy
awaiting screening. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

9. (SBU) Confirmed private American citizen deaths remain at
15.
(TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

MEDICAL RESPONSE
----------------

10. (SBU) USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART)
reported that U.S. military personnel had escorted a U.S. HHS
Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and a USAID health
officer to the General Hospital to provide medical personnel,
supplies, food, and water. (TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

11. (SBU) USNS Comfort is scheduled to arrive in Haitian
waters on January 20. (TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION/REQUESTS
-----------------------------------

12. (SBU) Oman has committed to provide aid. While the
amount
is unknown, the aid is likely to flow via Red Cross/Crescent.
(TF1/Muscat 21)

13. (SBU) Poland has offered the Presidential medical
aircraft;
the specifications will be assessed by SOUTHCOM for a
response. (TF1/Embassy Warsaw telcon)

DEPLOYMENT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSETS
------------------------------------

14. (SBU) U.S. troop levels on the ground are expected to
reach
3300 by January 19. (TF1/SOUTHCOM telcon)

15. (SBU) 15 Diplomatic Security Special Agents will arrive
in
Port-au-Prince January 17 to provide additional security to
Post. (TF1/DS rep)

HUMANITARIAN/SECURITY/INFRASTRUCTURE
------------------------------------

16. (SBU) The security situation is worsening; escaped
inmates
have formed gangs to kidnap and perpetuate other crimes.
Embassy Port-au-Prince has authorized additional security
coordination steps with Haitian police and MINUSTAH.
(TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

17. (SBU) SOUTHCOM will have more than 43,000 small hand
crank
radios at Homestead AFB by January 20, and is developing a
distribution plan. (TF1/SOUTHCOM e-mail)

18. (SBU) The public hospital in the Domican border town of
Jimani is disorganized yet functional, with hundreds of
Haitians seeking urgent medical assistance. A growing concern
is that Haitians displaced have nowhere to go after receiving
treatment.
(TF1/Santo Domingo 19)

19. (SBU) The Port of Port-au-Prince is still not
operational.
(TF1/PRM rep)

20. (SBU) The GOH has requested that MINUSTAH provide
security
at all distribution sites and that military personnel from
other countries coordinate with MINUSTAH.
(TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

21. (SBU) The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reports
only a limited number of functioning medical centers, most run
by international NGOs. (TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

22. (SBU) USAID partners will begin to assess the piped water
network capacity on January 18. (TF1/USAID 17Jan 1400 sitrep)

23. (SBU) A UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
assessment team will travel to the Haiti/DR border on January
19. PRM will monitor the situation and work closely with
UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
(TF1/PRM Humanitarian Update #6)

24. (SBU) UNICEF is distributing water purification tablets,
rehydration salts and other supplies to counter diarrheal
infections/diseases. (TF1/PRM Humanitarian Update #6)

25. (SBU) IOM estimates that 200,000 families (up to one
million people) are in need of immediate shelter and non-food
assistance. (TF1/PRM Humanitarian Update #6)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
----------------------

26. (U) No updates at this time.

27. (U) Additional updates are available through our
Intellipedia portal on the unclassified system at:
http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/Portal:Crisis_Ha iti_Earthquake.

28. (U) Minimize considered.
CLINTON

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