Advertisement

Haitian earthquake

By United Press International
Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit unload MREs for humanitarian aid and for Marine use in Grand Goave, Haiti, January 23, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch
1 of 4 | Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit unload MREs for humanitarian aid and for Marine use in Grand Goave, Haiti, January 23, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch | License Photo

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- More than $58 million was donated by viewers during Friday's international concert and telethon for Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

The program, originated by actor George Clooney, was aired on all the major U.S. broadcast outlets and several cable channels and could be heard on radio in Haiti. It featured a mixture of messages from celebrities describing the need of Haitians following the Jan. 12 earthquake, scenes from CNN coverage in Haiti and musical acts.

Advertisement

Most of the program was somber in tone but the finale from Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean was more upbeat and included a plea, "Enough of this moping, man. Let's rebuild Haiti."

In addition to the $58 million raised during the two-hour program, additional funds will come from sales of an album from the show's performances -- already No. 1 in 18 countries on iTunes -- and downloads of the individual tracks, including "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" by Jay Z, Bono, The Edge and Rhianna.

Although officially the search for people trapped in collapsed buildings has ended, a 25-year-old man was found Saturday in the wreckage of a food store. He said he survived by drinking Coca-Cola and eating "some little tiny things."

Advertisement

Haitian officials said more than 150,000 bodies of victims of the earthquake had been buried.