Two Mounties missing after Haitian quake

OTTAWA, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Two Royal Canadian Mounted Police peacekeepers were missing in Haiti Wednesday, a day after a massive earthquake devastated the country, officials said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters in Ottawa midday there are 82 Canadian police officers from various forces working in peacekeeping and educational roles, but two of the 13 RCMP officers couldn't be accounted for, the Globe and Mail reported.

The news came as team of 20 Canadian military disaster and aid specialists were en route to Haiti to determine what's needed, Cannon said earlier.

He said the country's full Disaster Assistance Response Team was on standby and ready to fly as soon as the Haitian government requested it.

The team erects portable hospitals and provides water filtration systems and medical care.

Communications out the island nation were spotty after the magnitude 7 quake severely damaged Port-au-Prince Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday morning, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke on the telephone with Nathalie Gissel-Menos, the charge d'affaires of the Haitian Diplomatic Mission, and pledged an initial $5 million in disaster relief, the report said.