Oregon Public Broadcasting

The biggest disaster relief agency based in the Northwest reports the outpouring of donations for Haiti could break records. 

World Vision of Federal Way, Washington says it raised $2.5  million just in the first day and a half since the Caribbean earthquake.

Disaster fundraising manager Randy Strash says heís been astonished by the power of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to galvanize the public response.

Randy Strash: "It is -- if you will -- viral marketing in a way that we've never seen it before.  It's very real communication.  It's people on the ground saying we need help.  It's people who are responding saying we need help.  It's people who are getting these messages saying we want to help.  And it's all happening in split seconds."

Strash says the Haiti earthquake may surpass the record setting 2004 Asian tsunami in terms of the fast pace and high volume of donations.

At this stage, World Vision expects it will need to raise at least $20 million to help Haiti rebuild.