Haiti Earthquake - 13 January 2010

[Blackee]

As you would be aware, Haiti and it's capital Port-au-Prince was struck by a 7.0 earthquake yesterday.
We are witnessing one of the most deadly earthquakes in our history. Talk of 100,000 dead. That is a phenominal number of people dead. Below is an brief from the UN in regards to the situation in Haiti. (On a side note, I met an English bloke in the West Indies during the 2007 World Cup who worked for the UN in Haiti. I have yet to make contact. He loved his cricket, so I am hoping he is in South Africa watching the Poms beat the Saffas).

Note to Correspondents on the Situation on Haiti from Vicenzo Pugliese, Spokesperson and Chief of Media Relations

MINUSTAH
13 January 2010

The earthquake has caused major damage in the Port-au-Prince area, as well as in Jacmel.
The National Palace, the Cathedral, the Ministry of Justice and other important government offices have been destroyed.

Hotels, hospitals, schools and the national penitentiary have all suffered extensive damage

Casualties, which are vast, can only be estimated.

An unknown number – tens if not hundreds of thousands – have suffered varying degrees of destruction to their homes.

Haitians, fearful of houses collapsing on them or of a second earthquake, slept in the streets of Port-au-Prince last night.

Electricity supplies have been interrupted.

Water is in short supply.

Some major transportation routes have been severely disrupted by surface cracks, rocks and boulders, fallen trees and smashed cars.

Both the Government of Haiti and the UN in Haiti have appealed for immediate and extensive relief supplies and assistance, including search and rescue capacity and medical personnel.

MINUSTAH is expecting a team of search and rescue experts from China to arrive today to lead rescue operations at the collapsed MINUSTAH headquarters.

Between 50 and 100 people are estimated to have been in the six-storey building when it collapsed and have yet to be accounted for.

Other UN offices have also been damaged, and 10 people are missing from the UNDP compound that houses UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNIFEM, WFP, OCHA and UNEP.

UN personnel seriously injured in the earthquake were evacuated from all sites overnight to UN medical facilities near the airport, which remains operational

Other search and rescue teams are reported to be arriving from Guadeloupe and the Dominican Republic and the United States.

These will be deployed to major government buildings, hotels and hospitals.
UN soldiers and police have been patrolling night and day since the earthquake struck shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday, helping to maintain law and order, as well as assisting with rescue operations.

While the earthquake was felt as far afield as Les Cayes in the southwest and Gonaives to the north, little destruction has been reported in far flung areas of the country.

However, in the capital region, destruction is massive and broad, while Haitian services are visibly unable to cope.

Staff from the UN agencies, funds and programmes and from MINUSTAH’s offices at

Hotel Christopher have regrouped at the mission’s logistics base, attached to the Port-au-Prince airport, where they continue to work coordinating and, supporting the incoming international relief effort.

[Blackee]

WHERE TO DONATE

World Vision: Phone 13 32 40 or visit http://www.worldvision.com.au
Oxfam: Phone 1800 088 110 or visit http://www.oxfam.org.au
Save the Children Australia: Phone 1800 76 00 11 or visit http://www.savethechildren.org.au.

[Karl Lijnders]

Such a scray and terrible situation. The devestation gets worse everyday. It feels a world away however. Some of the footage of the scenes after the earthquake are quite frightening!

They are having trouble getting aid through with clogged airports and ports.

[Rivergirl]

Thanks for all the info Wes. They are in desperate need of help. Such a terrible catastrophe.

[Blackee]

Death toll has topped 50,000 with some 250,000 injured.
I'm surprised that these numbers are already confirmed given the struggles with communication and access to all areas affected.