Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Sunday expressed his solidarity with the victims of the past week's earthquake in Haiti.

In a statement Tutu said he shared the grief and sadness of the people of Haiti.

"The physical and emotional effects of the earthquake, the destruction, loss of life and desperation of the survivors, is felt by us all."

Tutu said he was encouraged by the support efforts of people and governments across the world, including South Africa. "Such levels of support at times of great need are an illustration of our universal spirit of togetherness," he said.

Tutu called on people to donate to disaster relief funds.

He said he prayed for improved disaster management logistics and the restoration of services to help survivors "who have to contend with the double loss of their loved ones, while grappling with the need for shelter, food and basic services."

Haiti was hit by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, leaving a feared 100 000 dead.

Countries across the world have pledged millions of dollars in aid and disaster management teams have flown to the country to help rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, South Africa's team arrived in Haiti at 3am South African time on Sunday, the department of international relations spokesman Saul Molobi told Sapa.

They were delayed in the Dominican Republic since Thursday until damage to the airport in Haiti was repaired. The team started working at 11am, Molobi said.