Oxfam New Zealand has launched an emergency appeal following the Haiti earthquake today and welcomes donations from the public.

Oxfam is preparing to respond with humanitarian assistance following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. Oxfam has an emergency response team for Latin America based in Haiti's capital Port au Prince ready to respond.

Statement from Jane Cocking, humanitarian director of Oxfam:

"The early signs are not good for Haiti with communications down across the country.

"Oxfam has an emergency response team based in Haiti so we are well prepared with a public health, water and sanitation team ready to respond. We also have emergency supplies in Panama that we are preparing to send in as soon as possible."

Kristie van de Wetering, a former Oxfam employee still based in Port-au-Prince described the situation as "very chaotic with houses in rubble everywhere".

"There is a blanket of dust rising from the valley south of the capital. We can hear people calling for help from every corner. The aftershocks are ongoing and making people very nervous," van de Wetering said.

Cocking: "We hope to know more in the coming hours. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere where 85 per cent of people already live in poverty, given the desperate needs that people face on a day to day basis, this earthquake is grim news for the people of Haiti."

To donate to Oxfam's Haiti Earthquake Response please call 0800 400 666 (24hours), to make an automatic $20 donation call 0900 600 20 or visit www.oxfam.org.nz to donate online.