TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 003121 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. 1 STATE 00003121 001.2 OF 002 HAITIAN AMB. REQUESTS AID; U.S. PRESIDENT PLEDGES SUPPORT -------------- -------------- ¶1. (SBU) President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and UN Special Envoy Clinton issued separate statements. Haitian Ambassador to the U.S. Raymond Joseph called for assistance in a CNN interview. Chile, the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Jamaica have offered support, with more expected. (White House release, CNN, Embassy Port-au-Prince) EMBASSY STATUS, CASUALTIES, RESPONSE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Embassy buildings are stable, with running water and electricity. Two Embassy officers and a spouse are injured. An officer is possibly trapped in a collapsed home. At least four U.S. soldiers and three Coast Guard personnel are unaccounted for. (Ops/Embassy Port-Au-Prince telcon) ¶3. (SBU) The Embassy is unable to confirm reports the international airport in Port-au-Prince, is operational. (Ops/Embassy Port-Au-Prince telcon) ¶4. (SBU) SOUTHCOM reports two U.S. Coast Guard cutters are 9-18 hours from the capital; two C-130's are on standby for possible medical evacuations. (Ops/Embassy Port-Au-Prince telcon, SOUTHCOM/TF01 telcon) AMERICAN CITIZEN WELFARE/WHEREABOUTS -------------- ¶5. (U) Consular calls can be directed to 888-407-4747, email CA-Taskforce@state.gov. CA estimates 50 calls per hour. The embassy will issue a warden message and CA plans to issue a travel alert shortly. (TF01/CA-Task Force) HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN QUEUE -------------- ¶6. (SBU) USAID/OFDA reports two urban search and rescue teams (from Fairfax and L.A. counties) have been activated and are on standby, the DART alert system has been activated, and OFDA is standing up a Response Management Team (RMT) in Washington. OFDA's regional team in Costa Rica is ready to deploy January 13 via chartered aircraft. (PMAT/USSOUTHCOM email) MINUSTAH ESTABLISHES A PERIMETER AROUND ITS HEADQUARTERS -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) MINUSTAH personnel, including Special Representative Hedi Annabi, are reported by UN officials to be trapped inside the collapsed building with a Chinese delegation. (Ops/Embassy Port-Au-Prince telcon) ¶8. (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