Cablegate: Tfha01: Haiti Earthquake Task Force Situation Report

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 012235

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. 62

STATE 00012235 001.2 OF 002

EVACUATIONS / AMERICAN CITIZEN ISSUES
-------------------------------------

1. (SBU) Since February 6 at 2000 EST, 215 American evacuees
and family members departed Port-au-Prince; a total of 15,706
have been evacuated to date. A total of 23,000 potential
evacuees have been accounted for. There are 65 American
evacuees at the airport. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

2. (SBU) As of 1200 EST February 7, there are 77 confirmed
American citizen fatalities, with another 28 American citizen
deaths reported but unconfirmed. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince
e-mail)

3. (SBU) Four milair evacuation flights with 155 people,
including 11 adoptees, departed Port-au-Prince the evening of
February 6. The flights were bound for Charleston, Miami,
Orlando, and McDill AFB in Tampa. No orphans are expected to
depart February 7. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince telcon)

4. (SBU) Embassy Port-au-Prince delivered a diplomatic note
February 6 to the Government of Haiti requesting permission to
deconstruct sites known to have the entombed remains of
American citizens. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

5. (U) Jorge Puello, the Dominican lawyer retained by 10 U.S.
missionaries jailed in Haiti, told the media February 6 that
he fired their Haitian counsel Edwin Coq, claiming Coq had
asked for $60,000 to bribe the missionaries? way out of jail.
Coq denied the charge, calling the sum his legal fee. (AP,
AFP)

HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
-------------------

6. (SBU) NGOs distributed food to more than 166,000 people at
all 16 distribution sites in Port-au-Prince February 6 without
incident. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call, USAID SitRep #49)

7. (SBU) Two of the food distribution sites, which are
located on church property, will not operate February 7.
Local authorities and communities requested religious services
not be disrupted. However, NGOs still expect to distribute
more food than yesterday. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call,
USAID SitRep #49)

8. (SBU) Food prices, including those of wheat and bread,
have increased in several areas outside of Port-au-Prince.
WFP is increasing assistance to provincial areas hosting large
populations displaced from Port-au-Prince. (SOUTHCOM SitRep,
USAID SitRep #49)

9. (SBU) According to the IFRC, an estimated 80,000 people in
Leogane and 30,000 individuals in Jacmel require shelter
assistance. To meet ongoing shelter needs, USAID/OFDA is
providing plastic sheeting for transitional shelter
construction. (DCHA/OFDA Fact Sheet #25)

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

10. (SBU) A National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) evacuated
three Haitians to Atlanta February 6. The flight brings the
total of NDMS medical evacuations to 24. (TF1/HHS telcon)

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

11. (SBU) Based on security assessments, armed DS/ICE escorts
of USG convoys between Port-au-Prince and the Dominican
Republic will cease as of February 8. Convoys and shuttle
services will continue with Embassy Port-au-Prince local
guards patrolling routes as necessary. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-
Prince telcon)

12. (SBU) The Japanese Self-Defense Force dispatched 160
troops, including engineers and logisticians, to augment
MINUSTAH February 6; the troops were expected to arrive
February 7. (TF1/SOUTHCOM e-mail)

13. (SBU) Significant congestion at the Jimani border
crossing between Haiti and the Dominican Republic continues to
slow overland deliveries of emergency relief commodities.
(UDCHA/OFDA Fact Sheet #25)

14. (SBU) Embassy Santo Domingo reports the border roads near
Jimani are deteriorating. USAID is evaluating options for
repairs. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
------------------------

15. (SBU) The Royal Bahamian Defense Force (RBDF) intercepted
a 40-foot sailboat at sea near the Exumas with 62 Haitian
migrants on board. Because the Haitians' boat began taking on
water, the RBDF has begun transferring them to other vessels.
USCG is investigating. (TF1/Embassy Nassau telcon and e-mail,
SOUTHCOM SitRep)

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

17. (U) Minimize considered.
CLINTON

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