Emergency hotline for travellers to Haiti

An emergency hotline has been set up for relatives and friends of those who were in Haiti when a devastating earthquake struck on Tuesday.

The earthquake, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, caused massive damage to the capital, Port au Prince, toppling buildings and the presidential palace, when it struck at 15kms west of the city at 21.53 GMT.

People who are concerned for the welfare of friends and family on the Caribbean island can contact the emergency hotline set up by travel assistance company On Call International. Call 603-898-9159 free from anywhere in the world or log on to the website www.oncallinternational.com

Before calling, you will need to have the name of the tour operator the person was travelling with, their hotel details, trip itinerary and their mobile phone number.

There are no reports of British casualties. The country is not as popular with British holidaymakers as its neighbour, the Dominican Republic. Though the earthquake was felt in the Dominican Republic, there are no reports of any damage to the country's holiday resorts.

Anyone due to travel to Haiti should contact their tour operator or airline for travel advice and visit the Foreign Office website at www.fco.gov.uk for the latest information.

Those who are forced to postpone their trip should check the small print of their travel insurance to see if they are entitled to a refund, though anyone whose trips are cancelled should get a full refund from their tour operator.

Latest reports suggest up to three million people have been affected by the earthquake, the worst to hit the Caribbean for 200 years.

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