Haiti rescue being scaled down

Rochdale firefighter Peter Stevenson, who is battling to save lives in earthquake-hit Haiti, has said that the search and rescue operation is now being scaled down, with 'very a remote chance of finding anyone left alive' buried under the rubble of devastated buildings.

Mr Stevenson's team rescued two more people earlier today, having found a pregnant woman and another casualty with burns injuries alive in a town which was close to the epicentre of the quake.

Mr Stevenson is one of nine Greater Manchester firefighters, and 64 from across the UK, who flew to the stricken Caribbean nation with two rescue dogs and 12 tonnes of equipment to search for people trapped under collapsed buildings.

The rescue operation is now being scaled down and was temporarily called off earlier today after tensions in Haiti flared. Mr Stevenson was quick to point out that his team was not the target of any attacks. The Greater Manchester team say they are in good health and spirits with locals welcoming their help.

Mr Stevenson says that now six days have passed since Tuesday’s devastation, the chance of finding people starved of food and water still alive is severely diminished. Their priority will soon be moved to helping to distribute humanitarian aid.

He said: "We are still fighting and we are still upbeat but the situation here is getting worse by the day. We went to to a town which was near the epicentre today and there are scenes of total devastation. 70% of buildings were completely destroyed, with thousands dead and no lives to be saved.

"Search and rescue is now being scaled down as there is only a very remote chance of finding someone alive.

"So much is going to have to be done here to get the country back to how it was, it will take years."