Cablegate: Tfha01: Haiti Earthquake Task Force Situation Report

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 005829

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. 29

STATE 00005829 001.2 OF 003

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

1. (SBU) Pan American Health Organization Director Dr. Roses
will travel to Haiti January 21. (TF1/Interagency Conference
Call)

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

2. (SBU) Seventeen SAR teams continue operations in the field.
Los Angeles County rescue workers made one rescue on January 20.
To date, SAR teams have rescued over 122 people. SAR teams also
uncovered the bodies of two Americans from the Hotel Montana.
(TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

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

3. (SBU) Supplies are reaching primary distribution centers
but are not effectively getting to secondary sites. The biggest
distribution bottleneck is vehicular traffic in Port-au-Prince.
Improving distribution is a high priority for TF-Haiti. The
private sector is beginning to return, with some food markets
and gas stations reopening. Airport operations continue to
increase, with 153 flights clearing the airport January 20.
However, a backlog of flights continues due to high demand.
Some aircraft have been turned around in-flight by air traffic
control because of mismatched tail numbers or lack of detailed
cargo manifests (flights are prioritized based on cargo). All
slots for large aircraft are booked through February 10. There
also continue to be delays caused by congestion on the ground.
SOUTHCOM has invited the UN to coordinate on flight
prioritization and scheduling. SOUTHCOM is proposing the co-
location of JTF-H with representatives from the UN, Government
of Haiti, and USAID in the Humanitarian Assistance Coordination
Center. Under this arrangement, USAID will vet U.S. civilian
flight requests and the UN will vet international flight
requests. To date, 25 percent of the flight slots allocated
have gone to the international community. (TF1/Interagency
Conference Call, SOUTHCOM SitRep)

EVACUATIONS/AMERICAN CITIZEN AND LE STAFF WHEREABOUTS
--------------------------------------------- ---------

4. (SBU) As of 0500 EST, approximately 400 Americans were
inside the Embassy compound and an additional 200 were outside.
There are 38 confirmed American fatalities and another 25
reported, which remain unconfirmed. On January 20, 927 people,
including 772 Americans, were evacuated by air and bus.
According to post, to date 7660 Americans have been evacuated
from Haiti. The arrival of passport reading machines and
baggage screening equipment (donated by American Airlines) has
expedited on-the-ground processing and improved security.
Convoys continue to shuttle between Santo Domingo and Port-au-
Prince. A convoy with 88 Amcits arrived in Santo Domingo at
0120 EST. A DS-escorted convoy left Santo Domingo at 0300 EST
with four passenger buses and a fuel truck. Embassy Santo
Domingo is planning on send four buses on January 21 and six on
January 22. (TF1/CA-TF, TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince SitRep,
TF1/Interagency Conference Call, TF1/CA e-mail)

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

5. (SBU) The Haitian Ministry of Health does not have the
capacity to distribute supplies to hospitals. A SOUTHCOM senior
surgeon is taking inventory of the requirements at Haitian
hospitals and will coordinate support with USAID. The USNS
Comfort is receiving patients from 10 hospital sites and has
treated 237 patients. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call, TF1/DOD
SitRep)

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

6. (U) No updates at this time.

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

7. (SBU) The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit began operations
in Leogane, located nine miles west of Port-au-Prince. (DOD
SitRep)

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

8. (SBU) There are no major changes to the overall security
situation. The GOH is getting more police on the street,
including 50 of the 67 police assigned to Cite de Soleil. A
prison break in Les Cayes (400-500 inmates) and lack of pay for
the police are adding to concerns about crime. At current
troops levels, MINUSTAH will not be able to keep pace with the
growing demand for security. Generals Fraser and Keen have
agreed that U.S. support for MINUSTAH should be in place by
January 22, pending completion of the Statement of Principles.
In addition, Brazil has offered a battalion, and UNHQ noted that
other countries are offering troops. DOD delivered 43,000
radios to Port-au-Prince for use by U.S. officials and other
relief workers. JTF-Haiti noted that the January 21 reopening
of banks will be a test for security forces. The port is
operating at 30 percent capacity due to pier damage and
insufficient logistical support on shore. SOUTHCOM estimates
three weeks will be needed to finish port repairs.
Nevertheless, Dutch and French naval ships off-loaded cargo
January 20. Two USN ships will be next to unload. The fuel
pier should be operational by January 25. (TF1/Interagency
Conference Call, TF1/IO-USUN SitRep, DOD SitRep)

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

9. (SBU) SOUTHCOM Commander General Fraser will brief Haiti
relief issues, including flight coordination efforts, at the
Pentagon Foreign Press Center at 1000 EST. (TF1/DOD Public
Affairs SitRep)

10. (U) Additional updates are available through our
Intellipedia portal on the unclassified system at:

http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/Portal:Crisis_Ha iti_Earthquake.

11. (U) Minimize considered.
CLINTON

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