UPDATE: Save the Children Still Looking for Staff in Haiti

Save the Children has verified the safety of all but 16 staffers in its Port-au-Prince, Haiti, office but hasn't accounted for all 40 staffers in its two sub-offices outside the nation's capital, which was struck by a major 7.0-magnitude earthquake Tuesday.

About 100 people work in all three offices, Carolyn Miles, chief operating officer for Save the Children in Westport, said Wednesday. Most of the staffers are Haitian although some are international staffers, Miles said. None of them are from Westport, Miles said. Miles expects it will take the rest of today and probably into tomorrow to find everyone. Communication is only possible there through text messaging and word of mouth, she said.

Save the Children, whose global headquarters is based in Westport, works to help children in need throughout the world and has offices located in many countries.

The organization has begun to assess needs and damage as it begins to assist children and families affected by the devastating earthquake. The agency is sending teams out this morning by motorbike in Port-au-Prince and is flying additional staff to the Dominican Republic who will then travel by car to the affected areas to help support the emergency response. Miles said some Westport staffers might be sent next week to aid the recovery effort.

An estimated 1.8 million residents were violently shaken by the earthquake and aftershocks affecting the densely populated areas near Port-au-Prince. Thousands may be dead, according to a New York Times article.

The earthquake flattened homes and landmarks in the capital city and damaged Save the Children's office, according to Ian Rodgers, the agency's emergency response adviser, who is currently in Haiti.

"We could hear buildings still crumbling down five hours after the earthquake," he said in a news release. "This is a significant disaster. We are seeing at least 40 percent destruction and up to 70 percent damage to buildings in the neighborhood where our office stands. Debris fills the roads and emergency responders are having a difficult time reaching the wounded. The survivors, especially the children, are going to need a lot of support for weeks and months to come."

As it has done in recent disasters in Haiti, Save the Children is preparing to provide immediate lifesaving assistance, such as food, water, shelter and child-friendly spaces.

Miles said the organization will first work to distribute basic supplies. Since there are no emergency shelters in Haiti, Miles said Save the Children would distribute a tarp with rope and blankets to help families create their own emergency shelters. They'd also send out food, water and household items, such as soap and basic clothing.

"One of the hardest things about Haiti is the infrastrucure is really basic," Miles said. "Eighty percent of the people there live in poverty in normal times and 60 percent of those are really impoverished, earning less than $2 a day.

"The infrastructure is really poor," Miles continued. "There is no fire department or rescue operation. People are literally digging people out with their hands and shovels."

Once basic shelter needs are met, Miles said Save the Children would then work to set up "child-safe spaces," which create spaces for children to play or gather while their parents tend to their families' needs. If recovery takes longer than expected, Miles said Save the Children would also start basic educational programs.

Haitian schools are likely not to reopen for a couple weeks, Miles said, adding that she expects Save the Children will be working on recovery there at least through the end of the year.

Miles said Save the Children is also working to determine how many children lost their parents in the earthquake, either through separation or death. If necessary, Miles said the organization would set up "re-unification centers" where parents and children could go for information on where they can find their family.

Save the Children, which has been working in Haiti since 1985, has provided emergency relief and assistance to Haitian children and families following various recent disasters, including hurricanes and floods.

HOW TO HELP

Miles said the best way to help is to send money, which can be used to purchase supplies for family shelter kits, food and water.

Click here to support the Haiti Earthquake Children in Emergency Fund.

Click here to learn more about the emergency response to the earthquake in Haiti.