Up to 5,500 Americans Missing or Trapped in Haiti

(Jan. 19) -- The death toll from last week's devastating earthquake in Haiti has reached 200,000, according to government figures cited by the European Commission. The U.S. State Department told NBC News up to 5,500 Americans could still be missing or trapped in the wreckage.

An untold number of bodies are being taken to mass graves outside the crumbling capital of Port-au-Prince, and with no counting or identifying of the dead, there may never be an accurate picture of how many lives were lost.

"They have buried so many people," Voissine Careas, a farmer outside Port-au-Prince told The New York Times. "And now, they are digging holes for more."

Six U.S. Navy helicopters landed on the grounds of the Presidential Palace Tuesday, dropping off at least 100 U.S. troops who worked quickly to secure the struggling general hospital and begin to reinforce the relief operation. Their very-public arrival was met with cheers by some quake survivors who stood outside the palace gate -- and jeers by others.

Fede Felissaint, a hairdresser, told the Associated Press: "We are happy that they are coming, because we have so many problems."

Others said the arrival of the U.S. troops represented an "occupation" that threatened Haitian sovereignty. The U.S. military has repeatedly said its mission is a humanitarian one.

"We are here at the request of the government of Haiti," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Daniel Allyn, deputy commander of the Joint Task Force on ongoing relief efforts. "We are working in partnership with United Nations and the international community."

With 250,000 people injured and approximately 1.5 million homeless, thousands of Haitians are fleeing Port-au-Prince, hoping there will be more food, water and stability in the countryside.

"We've got no more food and no more house, so leaving is the only thing to do," said Livena Livel, a 22-year-old street vendor who told the Associated Press she planned to travel to her father's home four hours south of the capital.

Bus fares are high, with drivers claiming they have no choice but to charge as much as three days' wages because of the price of scarce fuel. Many survivors with children are paying anyway.

"I'd go to any place but away from this city," Talulum Saint Fils, a mother of four, told AFP. "There is no assistance of any kind, and our children simply cannot live like animals."

The international aid effort, both private and public, has been massive, with donations exceeding $500 million. But channeling supplies to those who need them has proved a challenge.

Reports said the efficiency of the aid effort is slowly improving, but the Port-au-Prince airport remains backed up. Relief workers have complained that their flights were turned away or diverted by the U.S. military, which said it is now giving priority to aid flights. U.S. cargo planes are delivering "ready to eat" meals and water via airdrops, according to the military.

Roads are jammed, preventing access to the injured. Many aid organizations say they are having difficulty coordinating with each other.

"Communications have been very bad ... it is a difficult operation," said Benoit Leduc, emergency coordinator for the aid organization Doctors Without Borders. "The coordination so far is ... not existing. I really don't know who is in charge."

Doctors said they are worried about the outbreak of disease among the injured, with tetanus, gangrene and meningitis posing immediate threats. Supplies are dwindling, and the desperate need for food and water is on the rise, leaving some Haitians no choice but to loot for sustenance, which has led to clashes in the streets.

There are reports of police urging people to take justice into their own hands.

"If you don't kill the criminals, they will all come back," a Haitian police officer shouted over a loudspeaker.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he recommended to the Security Council that 1,500 police and 2,000 troops be added to the 9,000-member U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti to provide security assistance. More than 11,000 U.S. military personnel are on the ground, on ships or en route.

Haitian President René Préval continues to appeal for international assistance, not only in the form of immediate aid but also for long-term rebuilding in his country, the poorest in the Western Hemisphere.

"We cannot just cure the wounds of the earthquake. We must develop the economy, agriculture, education, health and reinforce democratic institutions," Préval said at a conference of donors in the neighboring Dominican Republic.

The U.S., Canada and Brazil hope to lead the organization of donor conferences.

The U.S. will temporarily allow Haitian orphans to come to the United States to receive medical care. About 50 orphans will arrive in Pennsylvania under the "humanitarian parole policy," according to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

"While we remain focused on family reunification in Haiti, authorizing the use of humanitarian parole for orphans who are eligible for adoption in the United States will allow them to receive the care they need here," she said.

In a recorded message, Haiti's ambassador in Washington, Raymond Joseph, strongly advised his countrymen against attempting to reach the U.S. by boat.

"If you think you will reach the U.S. and all the doors will be wide open to you, that's not at all the case," Joseph said, according to a transcript on the State Department's Web site. "They will intercept you right on the water and send you back home where you came from."

The U.S. will continue to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Haiti this week. Hollywood actors and high-profile musicians, including Mick Jagger and Ben Stiller, used their celebrity to raise $7.3 million in donations for the American Red Cross and UNICEF's United States Fund in a CNN telethon Monday night. "Hope for Haiti," a telethon organized by actor George Clooney, will air on the major broadcast and cable networks Friday.

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