Tens of thousands feared dead in Haiti quake

Tens of thousands of people are feared dead in Haiti's catastrophic earthquake, buried beneath demolished schools, hospitals and homes.

Tuesday's 7 magnitude quake, the most powerful in Haiti in two centuries, caused massive and widespread destruction.

Normal communications have been cut off, roads blocked by rubble and trees, electricity interrupted and water in short supply. All this making it nearly impossible to get a full picture of the devastation.

Officials fear tens of thousands, perhaps more than 100 thousand, may have perished but there's been no firm count. Search and rescue teams are on their way to the Caribbean nation. Experts fear evacuees face immediate health threats ranging from dengue fever, malaria and measles to respiratory diseases.

The risk of secondary infections is also increasing, with hospitals and clinics severely damaged. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for international aid to help Haiti cope with the dire situation.

Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, said, "Casualties cannot yet be estimated basic services such as water and electricity have collapsed almost entirely."

Residents search for victims after an earthquake in Port-au-Prince January 13, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)