JAMAICA GLEANER – A release from Food for the Poor has sought to provide some information about what is taking place in Haiti based on its communication with staff.

The Aid agency said it was also trying to determine the status of 12 college students who had gone to the island on a mission trip. “Currently, Food For The Poor has a group of 12 college students, and two faculty advisers in Haiti on a mission trip. They attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Our President/ CEO is in communications with Lynn’s President Dr Kevin Ross, who is gathering information as it comes in from the students’ parents.”

According to the release, Food For The Poor’s Mission Officer in Haiti said the students were dropped off at the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince at 4 pm. “We have learned there has been some damage to the hotel and are working to ascertain that the students, advisers and our staff are safe,” the release said.

Food For The Poor says it has been in contact with several members of the staff currently in Haiti. Employees have reported the following accounts:

— A hospital has collapsed in Pétionville, a town in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince

— There appear to be more homes down than standing in several areas of Port-au-Prince

— Major number of homes down in the area of Delmas

— One staffer saw a five-story building collapse

— One employee saw a major bridge, the Croix de Mission, collapse right in front of her as she drove home. The bridge is a major artery to the North end of Haiti from Port-au-Prince.

— A portion of Food For The Poor’s main office in Port-au-Price has collapsed. Our feeding centre (Food For the Poor provides food for thousands of Haitians on a daily basis there) and the charity’s warehouse are there. We are still gathering information on the extent of the damage.

— Cell phone communication continues to be limited.

— Food For the Poor has two employees in Santo, Domingo where the shocks were strongly felt. The hotel they were at during the quake asked all guests to stay in the lobby until the shocks subsided.