The UN death toll has reached 61, with 180 people -- mostly Haitian national staff -- still unaccounted for. (This Facebook group is a good resource for friends and family of UN employees who have been affected by the tragedy.)
Two new public service announcements for the United Nations recovery and relief efforts in Haiti. Via, the UN Foundation:
The US Navy’s Hospital ship – the USNS Comfort – is on its way to Port-au-Prince. It’s already seeing trauma patients airlifted to the ship from an aircraft carrier off the coast of Haiti. Situations like this are where hospital ships earn their keep.
Like Mark I'm excited that seasoned reporter Colum Lynch now has more room to stretch his legs on UN issues, but I hope that his reporting in this morning's "Ban Ki-moon's Katrina?" is off the mark.
Lynch writes:
In the past couple days there have been some incredible videos of miraculous rescues from the rubble in Haiti. People who have been trapped up to six days have been found alive. Consider this amazing video from CNN.
Moments ago, the Security Council unanimously passed resolution 1908, increasing the size and strength of MINUSTAH. The move clears the way for an additional 1,500 UN Police and 2,000 UN peacekeeping troops. Brazil is expected to contribute the bulk of the troops and the European Union will dispatch police units to Haiti.
The vote follows Ban Ki Moon's meeting with the Security Council in which he urged the members to boost MINUSTAH. From the UN News Center:
A new Haiti PSA from the United Nations Foundation that encourages individuals to support the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
Royal Caribbean cruise ships continue to dock at Labadee on Haiti’s north coast. Some passengers are frightened and upset by this, and media outrage is already starting. Royal Caribbean, in response, says that the ships are bringing humanitarian aid and that Labadee is crucial to Haiti’s recovery.