Sir, No police, no army, no medical services, no electricity ... and the disaster would have been even more cataclysmic but for the “luck” of the airport remaining intact.
Nightmare scenarios like this surely prompt all countries, but especially small, vulnerable ones, to have a disaster plan — formed in partnership with the UN — that goes right down to the bottom line.
Norman Harris Allendale, Northumberland
Sir, The Times (Jan 16) carries six separate appeals for donations to assist in relief for the Haiti earthquake. How is one to decide which to support? Surely it would be better if the various organisations were to co-operate?
Phil Sandler
Cromford, Derbyshire
Sir, Almost every year we have disasters in which many lives are unnecessarily lost because we are totally unprepared; hence days go by before aid arrives. Surely our strategists can do better? If they are tackled as a military operation we should be able to provide help within four to five hours; to establish and mark drop-off points in a field within two miles from the disaster: to drop parmedics and first-aid equipment and vehicles that do not rely on, often, non-existent local services, a first aid station, field kitchen and food/water distribution centre.
Eric Spielman,
Loughton, Essex