India announces $1 million aid for earthquake-devastated Haiti

India today announced a cash assistance of $1 million to earthquake-devastated Haiti for immediate and emergency relief purposes.

"India is deeply saddened at the death and destruction caused by the earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. Government has also decided to give 1 million US dollars in cash to Haiti for immediate and emergency relief purposes," a external affairs ministry statement said here.

It said "communications with Haiti are currently difficult. However, it has been ascertained that all 140 personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed with the United Nations are safe. So are all civil police officers deployed with the United Nations Mission in Haiti."

The ministry was in contact with the Indian Embassy in Havana, which is concurrently accredited to Haiti, to ascertain the welfare of other Indian nationals who are presently in Haiti, it said.

More than 100,000 people were feared dead in Haiti after an earthquake razed homes, hotels, and hospitals, leaving the capital in ruins and bodies strewn in the streets.