US State Secretary Hillary Clinton to Visit Haiti Saturday
16/01/2010 00:10
State Secretary Hillary Clinton is rushing to Haiti Saturday to inspect the extent of devastation that killed thousands of people in the capital city of Port-au-Prince after the nation was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake last Tuesday
US State Secretary Hillary Clinton is set to visit Haiti Saturday to inspect the extent of damage brought about by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the western Hemisphere's poorest nation.
Hillary Clinton, who spent honeymoon with her husband in Haiti, is the highest-ranking US official to visit the nation since Tuesday's devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people.
The State Department reported that six Americans died while 15 others were missing and presumed dead. About 4,200 U.S. military personnel were operating within Haiti or from Navy and Coast vessels offshore, U.S. Southern Command said in an update Friday night.
An additional 6,300 personnel are scheduled to arrive by Monday to help distribute aid and prevent potential rioting among desperate survivors. Clinton, who is traveling with USAID coordinator Rajiv Shah was scheduled to meet President Rene Preval shortly after arriving in Haiti, and later visit the devastated UN compound and the world body's interim chief there, Edmond Mulet.
"We will also be conveying very directly and personally to the Haitian people our long-term, unwavering support, solidarity and sympathies to reinforce President (Barack) Obama's message that they are not facing this crisis alone," Clinton said Friday in announcing her visit.
In the meantime, US President Barack Obama and ex-president George Bush have joined hands in calling for small, individual donations to aid agencies saying a 10-dollar contribution would be put "with the 10 dollars of millions of other people and immediately turn it into food, medicine shelter and clean water, and distribute it."
(original article appeared @ Digital Journal )