Kiwi donations to Haiti double after images shown

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Kiwi donations to survivors of Haiti's earthquake more than doubled over the weekend as images of displaced, starving and injured people flooded out of the country.

The disaster has been described by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who visited Haiti on Sunday, as the worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

About 50,000 bodies have been recovered since last Wednesday's quake but the final toll could be as many as 200,000.

By Friday, Kiwis had given $35,000 to Unicef but by yesterday a spokesman said it had received more than $100,000.

Oxfam New Zealand spokeswoman Prue Smith said its fund had doubled over the weekend – Kiwis had raised $240,000 in online donations, phone donations and from its emergency fund.

"This is an incredible response. When people see images [from Haiti] they can't help but be affected by it."

Kiwis have given more than $200,000 to the New Zealand Red Cross.

Tear Fund spokesman Keith Ramsay said an initial influx of $50,000 had doubled during the weekend but the medical need in Haiti remained "huge" and more was needed. "The New Zealand public have really opened their hearts and wallets to the people of Haiti."

Associated Press reported water being delivered to more people around Port-au-Prince, but that food and medicine were still scarce.

The United Nations has called for $765 million to help three million people affected by the disaster.

A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said after an initial contribution of $1 million last week New Zealand was monitoring what other governments were providing to help decide "what was appropriate".

"The New Zealand public has been very generous to aid organisations. We're very conscious that Haiti will need long-term support."

Nelson-born United Nations aid worker Emily Sanson-Rejouis and her family have marked the birthday of her daughter Zenzie, who died when their hotel collapsed.

Mrs Sanson-Rejouis plucked her injured daughter Alyahna, 2, from the rubble of the Karibe Hotel, in Port-au-Prince last week. Her husband Emmanuel and daughters Zenzie, 3, and Kofie-Jade, 5, were killed.

Mrs Sanson-Rejouis' sister Rachel Sanson, who has joined her sister in Miami, wrote on Facebook that it would have been Zenzie's fourth birthday on Sunday.

"She wanted a purple birthday cake. She didn't want any presents, she just really wanted to be four."

- © Fairfax NZ News