Barack Obama says condition in quake-hit Haiti 'dire'

US President Barack Obama has warned of a second disaster in Haiti, saying people should be under no illusion that the disaster there is over.

Mr Obama said the situation in Haiti remained "dire" nearly two months after the earthquake struck.

He was speaking after talks with Haitian President Rene Preval in Washington.

Mr Obama told Mr Preval that the US would continue to assist Haiti in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Mr Obama said there remained a desperate need for humanitarian help, particularly as seasonal rains could threaten the more than a million Haitians left homeless by the quake on 12 January.

"The challenge now is to stop a second disaster, and that is why at this very moment, thousands of Americans, both civilian and military, remain on the scene at the invitation of the Haitian government," Mr Obama said.