Aid and assistance slowly made its way to Haitians left without basic necessities by this week's earthquake, though relief efforts were further complicated by aftershocks and the threat of looting.
A magnitude-4.5 aftershock shook the capital of Port-au-Prince shortly before noon Saturday, raising new fears of damage. Rescue crews continued to work to free people believed trapped under rubble, while others carried out the grim task of disposing of the countless dead.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed Saturday in Haiti to meet with President Rene Preval, and the U.S. is sending more food, water and relief supplies. But it wasn't clear when that and other aid will reach all those in need.
About 600,000 humanitarian daily rations — basic nutrition packages that provide 2,300 calories — were expected to be at Haiti's airport by Saturday evening, said Tim Callaghan, the White House adviser helping to oversee relief efforts in Haiti. The World Food Program plans to distribute the rations.
Callaghan told reporters on a conference call Saturday that water purification units arrived Friday night, and officials hope they will produce up to 300,000 liters of water. More water is coming from the neighboring Dominican Republic.
Denis McDonough of the National Security Council said 180 tons of relief supplies had arrived in Haiti, but he didn't know how much had been distributed or where it has gone. "We don't have a good breakdown," he said.
The aftershock Saturday morning, though strong, did not appear strong enough to cause much damage, U.S. geophysicist Paul Caruso said, though even a small quake could bring down buildings hurt by Tuesday's magnitude-7.0 quake.
The latest tremors come amid a report from the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince of increased lootings, carjackings and armed attacks, while police seem absent in the area.
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