Canadian sailors reach devastated Haitian town of Leogane

An all-but-demolished town on the north shore of Haiti’s southern peninsula finally saw signs that help was on the way Tuesday as Canadian sailors landed on a garbage-strewn beach to lay the foundations of a sustained relief effort.

Disgorged by the destroyer HMCS Athabaskan as it loomed just offshore, sailors began arriving at Leogane in inflatable Zodiac boats, their mission to secure and reconnoitre the area for an influx of soldiers expected in the coming days.

For the residents of Leogane, which was 90 per cent levelled in last week’s quake, it was the first sign in a while that they haven’t been forgotten.

“We need water and medicine,” said local resident Sam Moly. “We got nothing (from international community). Everything we do, we do for ourselves.”

HMCS Athabaskan brings little in terms of actual food and water, but is more equipped to provide support to existing agencies, to provide leadership in chaotic communities and to better assess their needs and priorities.

The effort in Haiti is moving from rescue to relief, said army engineer Capt. Blaine Thurston: treating secondary infections, performing cleanup tasks and maintaining peace and security.

“We’re now seven days later, it’s now less and less likely we’ll find someone alive,” Thurston said.

 Inside a United Nations compound set up by a Sri Lankan contingent that was among the few aid groups to show up in Leogane, HMCS Athabaskan’s medics were already hard at work Tuesday treating the sick and injured.

Roughly 50 sailors were expected on shore by day’s end, their principal responsibility to provide security and perform reconnaissance work in advance of the possible arrival of members of the Quebec-based Royal 22e Regiment.

Those soldiers, some of whom are already beginning to make their way south from CFB Valcartier,  are looking for a suitable location to deploy in Haiti, and Leogane is currently a strong contender.
The dirt-poor town, about a 90-minute drive west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince, was almost 90 per cent destroyed in the quake, Gen. Walt Natynczyk, Canada’s chief of defence staff, said Monday.

It’s a largely rural agricultural community that’s dependent on the production of bananas and sugar cane, as well as on the offshore fishery.

On the southern side of the peninsula, another Canadian vessel, HMCS Halifax, was anchored off the coast in order to provide personnel and supplies in the town of Jacmel, the ancestral hometown of Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean.

Jacmel is where Canada’s Disaster Assistance Response Team is preparing to set up shop to provide medical treatment, clean water and other resources, supplies and assistance to victims of the quake.

It’s a desperate situation in Haiti after Tuesday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake left the capital Port-au-Prince in shambles. It’s the strongest earthquake to hit the poor Caribbean nation in more than 200 years.


Different aid agencies are working to assist those in need in Haiti. To find out how to donate to this aid effort, click here.


And the Canadian response to the disaster has been nothing short of overwhelming.

In fact, the generosity of Canadians has even crashed the Internet servers of aid agencies across the country collecting donations.

Kieran Green, with the Humanitarian Coalition, which represents CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec and Save the Children Canada told 680News people are not just offering cash.

“I’ve personally  been receiving emails – volunteers of assistance – from doctors, nurses, people with construction companies, everyone wants to do their part to help.”

Green added even though their servers have been crashing, he is grateful for the generosity and had this piece of advice for Canadians.

“[…] Be patient. If you want to give and you’re just having trouble getting through, keep trying we’re working to expand our capacity to handle the volume.”

By late Friday afternoon the Canadian Red Cross had raised $15.8-million and more than $75,000 had been donated to the Rogers Wireless Text to Donate Campaign by noon Friday.

Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have been playing a significant role in the speedy and massive outpouring of  pledges and donations.

The federal government has said it will match donations made to registered charitable groups for the Haitian disaster up to a maximum of $50-million.

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