Kiwi sisters still missing

Two little Kiwi girls and their father were still missing in Haiti late last night as their family in New Zealand clung to hopes that they were still alive under the rubble.

Emmanual Rejouis was with his three daughters, Kofie-Jade (5), Zenzie Sanson-Rejouis (3) and Alyahna (2), in the Kariba Hotel in Port-au-Prince when the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck and destroyed the building on Wednesday (NZ time).

Tens of thousands are believed to have perished in the massive earthquake, with many thousands more either trapped in rubble or lying wounded in the streets.

The search for the Kiwi girls, their father and other victims of the quake is now a race against time, with aid agencies furiously attempting to mobilise reserves and personnel.

Rescue efforts are being hampered by the almost total destruction of infrastructure and by the outage of much of Haiti's communications system.

The girls' mother, Nelson-born Emily Sanson-Rejouis (37), had been working in the United Nations office, which was also destroyed, when the quake struck and rushed to find her family when the shaking stopped.

Alyahna was pulled from the wreckage yesterday morning.

It is understood she had suffered several injuries including a broken leg.

Alyahna Sanson-Rejouis
Alyahna Sanson-Rejouis
Mrs Sanson-Rejouis' stepbrother, Auckland-based Jamie Larnach, who described his two missing nieces as "lovely, gorgeous little girls", said reports that her French-Haitian husband's dead body had been found draped over the little girl was a "mis-communication" and his status was unknown.

Mrs Sanson-Rejouis had managed to call the family on a borrowed satellite phone on Wednesday night, saying she was struggling to find help among the chaos.

Yesterday morning, she sent a text message saying Alyahna had been found.

Last night, she contacted her sister Rachel Sanson, of Nelson, to say she and her daughter had made it to hospital in the Dominican Republic. New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the Government was attempting to provide consular assistance.

"We are looking at sending someone to the United States to be ready to go to Haiti when the conditions allow. However, Haiti's airport is currently closed.

"We are continuing to work with our consular partners [US, Canada, Australia, France, UK] and international organisations [UN, Red Cross] on the ground in Haiti to see what immediate assistance they can provide."

Two other New Zealanders previously thought to be in Haiti were accounted for elsewhere.

A New Zealand doctor, Greg Elder, of international medical and humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres and based in Haiti, said the country's health system was "marginally functional" before the devastating quake and would need international help to cope.

He said structural damage to Medecin Sans Frontieres' three hospitals was so bad patients had to be evacuated to neighbouring ground.

First-aid centres were set up in tents, but were quickly "overwhelmed" and "exhausted".

"Our teams have treated more than 1000 wounded people, including open fractures and other injuries, at our makeshift facilities in the capital," he said.

The New Zealand Government has pledged $1 million in aid, while Kiwi aid agencies are on standby to assist.

Mr McCully said the aid contribution would be distributed via international relief agencies, such as the International Red Cross and UN agencies, in Haiti.

"As the enormity of this disaster emerges, the international community is rapidly mobilising to assist the people of Haiti. Saving lives and assisting survivors are obviously the immediate priorities."

 

- Alanah May Eriksen and Rachel Tiffen


 

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