Untold Numbers Still Trapped in Rubble of Worst Quake in Haitian History
As untold numbers lay dead and or buried in the rubble of Haiti's worst earthquake ever, the impoverished nation is calling on the world to help.It was a nation already vulnerable, the poorest in the Western hemisphere, with a history of lax construction. The International Red Cross says the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti leaves close to a third of the population in need of emergency aid. Thousands are feared dead.
"What I know is that Port-au-Prince has been destroyed beginning with the palace, which is a very solid building. If the place itself is hit that hard imagine what happens to the flimsy abodes hanging by the flanks, the sides of hills surrounding Port-au-Prince. It's going to be a major catastrophe," said Haiti's ambassador to the United States, Raymond Joseph.
Joseph is calling for up to quadruple the amount of U.S. aid to his country, which now stands at about $300 million. He calls on the international community to help as well.
"Because the way it is, Port-au-Prince has to be rebuilt," he added. "And I think a lot of the shanty towns that were crushed should not be rebuilt in Port-Au-Prince. Decentralized."
On Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama promised a full-scale humanitarian effort.
"I have directed my administration to respond with a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives," he said.
The United Nations said Wednesday that more than 100 people are missing from its wrecked headquarters.
"The U.N. Headquarters at the Christopher Hotel collapsed in the quake," said Mr. Ban. "Many people are still trapped inside."
Meantime, aid from around the world is bound for Haiti on its way from a range of countries including Iceland, China and Israel.
"We are heading to Haiti together with the first delegation of the Army's Home Front Command so we can examine how Israel can help in this terrible tragedy," said Danny Saaban of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
People have sent their donations to various relief organizations and their prayers, including the Pope.
"I assure my spiritual closeness to those who have lost their homes, and to all the people who are suffering in various ways for this calamity," said Pope Benedict.
The United Nations reports that the main airport in Haiti's capital is operational and open to relief flights in the coming days.
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say the earthquake struck about 10 kilometers from Port-au-Prince, Tuesday afternoon. The initial quake registered at magnitude 7 on the Richter Scale and was followed by several other shocks, including one that measured 5.9.
Julie Dutton is a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
"It is a pretty significant earthquake," Dutton said. "Given the size and location, we are anticipating some significant damage from the region."
Witnesses said a hospital in the capital collapsed, a luxury hotel in Petionville had sustained major damage and many other buildings were destroyed. The United Nations said there was serious damage to the headquarters of its mission in Haiti, and a large number of staff were unaccounted for.
Additional information from the island has been slow in coming, as telephone service from abroad has been disrupted.
Geophysicist Julie Dutton says she expects the damage to be severe, in part because many buildings are not designed to withstand earthquakes.
"This is actually the largest earthquake we have seen in the last 200 years in this region," she noted. "There has not been a earthquake of Magnitude 6 range since the 1970s."
In Washington, President Barack Obama said the country stood ready to assist the people of Haiti and said his thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the quake.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said officials were beginning to assess the disaster and deploy emergency aid to Haiti.
"The United States is offering our full assistance to Haiti and others in the region. We will be offering both civilian and military disaster relief and humanitarian assistance," Clinton said.
Officials with the U.S. Agency for International Development said they were preparing to send a response team that includes 72 people, six search and rescue dogs and 48 tons of rescue equipment.
The quake was also felt in Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Residents on the nearby island of Cuba also said they felt the quake, but no damage was reported.
Source: Voice of America