Michelle Obama in Haiti, Moved by Devastation

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden touched down in earthquake-ravaged Haiti a short while ago on a mission.

The White House says the two are there to let the Haitian people know that even though three months have elapsed since that nation's 7.0 magnitude earthquake, their hardship will not be forgotten.

In a statement to reporters traveling with the first and second ladies, White House officials said that the two "are visiting Haiti to underscore to the Haitian people and the Haitian government the enduring U.S. commitment to help Haiti recover and rebuild, especially as we enter the rainy and hurricane seasons..."

This marks the first international trip Mrs. Obama has made as first lady without her husband. Mr. Obama has not been to Haiti yet himself, following the earthquake.

While en route to a meeting with the Haitian first couple, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden choppered over the homeless camps dotting the capitol of Port-au-Prince. Many thousands are still homeless, with many living in tents and tarps. The vision moved Mrs. Obama. "It's powerful. The devastation is definitely powerful," she told Haiti's First Lady, Elisabeth Delatour Preval.

While in Haiti, the first and second ladies also wanted to "thank the women and men across the whole of the U.S. government for their extraordinary efforts in Haiti during the past three months," the White House tells reporters on the ground. "They will also reach out to the UN and international relief communities in recognition of the truly global effort underway to help Haiti."

The US has pledged a total of $2 billion in humanitarian aid to Haiti.

The next stop for Mrs. Obama is Mexico City, where she'll meet with Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala and participate in several events with students, teachers and women leaders.