An extra 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid has been pledged by Ireland for Haiti.

The Minister for Overseas Development has announced that a second consignment will be distributed among aid agencies on the ground.

The Haitian government says it’s now buried 150,000 people, nearly two weeks after the devastating earthquake.

So far, the Irish Government has donated a total of €3 million to the relief effort in Haiti.

Minister Peter Power says essential equipment will be prioritised.

“We’re commissioning another aircraft to bring this humanitarian aid out to Haiti” he said.

“The problem in Haiti at the moment is that there are hundreds of thousands of people who’ve left Port-au-Prince who are living out in the open, and as the rainy season approaches in the next few weeks they need tents, shelter, plastic sheeting, water containers, sanitation equipment”.

“That is what the Irish government is providing with this new humanitarian airlift” he added.