The United Nations launchedon Tuesday an emergency appeal for 35 million US dollars to meet the medical and nutritional needs of 3 million Haitians over the next six months.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland told the press thatproblems in the already troubled country have been exacerbated by recent turmoil.

"What we saw is that the dramatic events of the last few weeks put the Haitian people, who were already suffering from deprivation and poverty, in an even more vulnerable position," he said.

The appeal came 10 days after then-Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned and went into exile abroad following weeks of armed rebellion by his opponents.

Humanitarian access is very limited in Haiti, which remains volatile, Egeland said. More than 3,000 prisoners have been released -- and then armed by various gangs -- while thousands of political activists are also carrying weapons. Looting, killing and arson are widespread in the capital, Port-au-Prince, he added.

The "Flash Appeal" ran in tandem with a consolidated appeal for85 million dollars launched last April to cover 18 months of humanitarian and other aid for the country of 8.3 million people.

But that drive has only received pledges of 38 million dollars.Beyond food, water and sanitation, there is no money for other needs, such as economic recovery, one year after the appeal was launched, Egeland said.

Currently, some 50 UN staff members are in Haiti, while a UN assessment team will travel there on Wednesday to assess the needsfor a UN peacekeeping force, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

The UN Security Council approved a resolution last month calling on the UN to establish a stabilization mission to take over the peacekeeping duty from a US-led multinational force, whose mandate is to expire by the end of May.