Family Life

01.26.10 | FL News Team

The American Red Cross says earthquake relief efforts in Haiti are now moving into high gear. Relief specialist Steve McAndrew is in Port-au-Prince and said up to now a nearly destroyed infrastructure has hindered efforts. In the first days after the massive earthquake that leveled much of the capital, he said relief supplies couldn't be moved because of a destroyed airport, port and roads. It's estimated up to 800-thousand people are still living in the street, displaced from their homes by the magnitude seven-point-zero quake. The Red Cross is focusing a massive effort at providing those people with tents. McAndrew said there's been some problem with dated foods and other well meant but unusable relief items clogging up the supply pipeline. The Red Cross said it won't wholesale discourage donations of goods but added cash is far better because the agency can use it to put quake survivors back to work giving them dignity and purpose.