Haitians gathered in Port-au-Prince Saturday to honor the capital's
archbishop and others killed in last week's earthquake, as the
government ended operations to search for survivors and aid workers
increased efforts to deliver food, water and medical care.
Hundreds of people attended the funeral for Catholic Archbishop Joseph
Serge Miot near the ruins of the Notre Dame cathedral. Haitian
President Rene Preval was among the mourners at the ceremony, which
also honored a vicar killed in the quake, Charles Benoit.
The United Nations says the Haitian government has confirmed more than
111,000 deaths so far, though the final toll is expected to reach
200,000.
The U.N. (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
said international teams rescued more than 130 people from the rubble,
but with little hope of finding more people alive, the focus has now
turned to providing food, shelter and medical treatment.
Up to 1.5 million Haitians lost their homes in the earthquake, and many are still waiting for relief.
Some banks and money transfer offices in the capital reopened Saturday
for the first time since the disaster. Crowds formed around the few
open offices, with many Haitians hoping to pick up money sent by family
members.
Two more survivors were pulled out from collapsed buildings in
Port-au-Prince Friday -- an 84-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man --
10 days after the earthquake that devastated the capital and
surrounding areas.
As aid workers struggle with quake-damaged roads and other tough conditions to get relief to victims, the U.N. (Food and Agriculture Organization) reports the number of people leaving the capital is increasing.
Thousands of Haitians streamed out of Port-au-Prince Friday as the
government promised to move more than 400,000 people into tent cities
being set up outside the capital.
Life within the city remains grim. Many survivors have been living in
overcrowded settlements with little or no water, food or sanitation.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict, sent a letter
to Haitian President Rene Preval this week, calling for calm on the
streets so that international aid can reach those who need it.
The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah,
was expected in Haiti Saturday to get a first-hand look at assistance
efforts.
The U.S. Defense Department says by Sunday there will be 20,000
American military personnel taking part in getting relief to Haiti, on
land or from ships offshore. They are flying in supplies, evacuating
the seriously injured and protecting aid distribution.