Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION

Originally posted by infinite
News3ThisAM - 5:48 p.m.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Leading Haitian senator: Deaths may reach 500,000 based on destruction, but no firm... http://(link tracking not allowed)/4wIeEk

...Keep going. And no, that was not encouragement.

# EYEWITNESS: rows of buildings have collapsed..there is no sign of official help anywhere in this area (via @RAMhaiti) 14 minutes ago

# EYEWITNESS: No police presence..there is no UN presence in the Carrefour area..people are trying to take care of themselves (via @RAMhaiti) 14 minutes ago

In the hillside neighborhood of Petionville, Domersant said he saw no police or rescue vehicles. "People are trying to dig victims out with flashlights," he said. "I think hundreds of casualties would be a serious understatement." Witnesses said they saw homes and shanties built on hillsides tumble as the earth shook. "The car was bouncing off the ground," Domersant said. U.N. officials said normal communications had been cut off and the only way to talk with people on the ground was via satellite phone. Roads were blocked by rubble. Some 9,000 U.N. police and troops are stationed in Haiti to maintain order and many countries were trying to determine the welfare of their personnel.

[edit on 13-1-2010 by cjcord]

Tweet:
"Carribean Market employees and customers are still trapped in there. Please send help"

[edit on 13-1-2010 by cjcord]

Talks of Port au Prince being abandon after this, due to massive destruction of the earthquake. The entire city is rumoured to be destroyed. Some analysts recommend it would be wiser/cheaper to move - regardless of sentimental values.

reply to post by cjcord


Its sad that people think is not help for them but the truth is that such a big operation like the one been planned for aid into Haiti from all over the world take time, lots of safety measures and coordination, but once they start is going to be fast.

I know that for people in Haiti this seems like for ever but help is coming.

[edit on 13-1-2010 by marg6043]

Twitter is painting a horrific picture of those in the city.

@fredodupoux

1. MINUSTAH trucks are all over the streets jamming the traffic while all of them sit in the not lifting a stone! Help! #haiti 15 minutes ago from mobile web

2. dead bodies are everywhere i havent seen one ambulance or any proffesionl med care anywhere in port-au-prince 20 minutes ago from mobile web

3. natural haulocost #haiti #eq 23 minutes ago from mobile web

4. every other house is on the ground. people are terrified and have no hope.#haiti #eq 27 minutes ago from mobile web

5. edge seems to be working on some digicel handsets downtown port au prince is lost dust and rumbles 29 minutes ago from mobile web

reply to post by cjcord

cjcord, thank you very much for your valuable contributions to this thread

I'll add some more links about how to help, which is the best thing that can be done right now

Americans who need information about family members in Haiti have been asked to call (888) 407-4747, a line set up by the State Department.
There are many ways to lend a hand, but be warned, many aid sites have been overloaded and were down when we tried to access them. Be patient!
You can make a donation through the American Red Cross' International Response Fund, and it will be allocated specifically for Haiti relief efforts.
Mercy Corps has a way for you to donate your money straight to their efforts in Haiti, and Unicef also has a donation site set up.
Yele, an organization set up by musician Wyclef Jean, a native Haitian, is an additional option.
The fastest way to donate may be by text. Text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross relief efforts. Or text Yele to 501 501 to donate $5.

Originally posted by muzzleflash
"Hundreds of thousands of people have died in Haiti's earthquake, the prime minister told CNN today. "

CNN.com

Now I know this is just his personal estimate, but consider the fact that this man is professional and educated very well, and that he is ON THE GROUND there as we speak.

Like I said last nite, my estimate was 125k.

But from this on the ground update from the PM, we are truely looking at something on the scale from 125k to 250k dead and at least half a million injured.

I hope he is simply exaggerating but I am afraid he is relating the truth as he sees it.

May God have mercy on them.

I always fear for the first real numbers (which yet have to come in this case): it's almost always a shock. In this case, i think that you are correct not only because he's on the ground and he's educated, but also because he's in some ranking that makes it very unlikely that he can be provided with some random informations:
two more thoughts: while due to lack of communication there could be victims we aren't aware of, there are many people waiting for rescuers, sometimes it's impressive the number of people that get rescued after days and days.
Hope is hard to die, all they have to do is to do not give up, all we have to do is to help, no matter the way.
I'm trying to be optimistic, but honestly everything suggests that we are in front of some epic catastrophe.

Alot of military power heading to Haiti.

Trust me we are going to have secure this area, before we put our releif workers in danger. This is a very unstable region..

I am not sure how in the long run we can rebuild or fix this city, or area that has been destroyed. I am not sure the USA, can offord it. I can see the principal to send our resources to Haiti, to save lives but after that I am not sure how in depth our involvement will be. This event is bad in so many ways.

reply to post by marg6043


That's the problem. I can see that so many are working as fast as they can, but I can imagine when you are watching someone stuck under rubble, listening to them scream for help, and you can;t help-- every second must feel like days. Imagine those laying in the streets with broken limbs, unstoppable bleeding, children screaming for their parents...It's very hard for me to keep my composure with this.

I think we lucky people who have never had to face this cannot truly understand how desperate these people are.

I hate to say this but Haiti as an independent nation should cease. It is in no position to be left on its own and needs to be a part of a much larger and stable country.

The best thing Haiti could do at this point is cede sovereignty or be annexed. It would provide infrastructure, security and most important of all hope. It is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest on earth. It needs help far beyond what can be provided by international aid, the kind of help that could be provided by becoming a US commonwealth or territory.

I hope they will recieve support globally asap. (IT ALMOST FELT AS IF SOMETHING CAUSED THIS ON PURPOSE EVIL 1.)

This is truly horrible
That's so many casualties, i'm so scared to hear the final numbers

My prayers going to the familes are worthless

I wish I could do more

Originally posted by MikeboydUS
I hate to say this but Haiti as an independent nation should cease. It is in no position to be left on its own and needs to be a part of a much larger and stable country.

The best thing Haiti could do at this point is cede sovereignty or be annexed. It would provide infrastructure, security and most important of all hope. It is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest on earth. It needs help far beyond what can be provided by international aid, the kind of help that could be provided by becoming a US commonwealth or territory.

Giving up sovereignty is nothing something I ever thought I would agree with for any country.

It's very sad that I might agree with you on this

CNN: estimated 40,000-45,000 americans live in haiti, many are unaccounted for

Haitian First Lady: "Most of Port Au-Prince is destroyed"

I think these reporters on location should be doing more helping in rescues then reporting right now.

On TV showing now the Air planes filled with personnel and medical assistance departing from Miami, they are promising that help is already in the way and more getting reading to leave.

But first like another member pointed out is going to be some safety issues that have to be priority to help the aid do the job they have to do.

Lawlessness is going be on the raise.

[edit on 13-1-2010 by marg6043]

Originally posted by MikeboydUS
I hate to say this but Haiti as an independent nation should cease. It is in no position to be left on its own and needs to be a part of a much larger and stable country.

The best thing Haiti could do at this point is cede sovereignty or be annexed. It would provide infrastructure, security and most important of all hope. It is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest on earth. It needs help far beyond what can be provided by international aid, the kind of help that could be provided by becoming a US commonwealth or territory.

I was saying the same thing to my wife last night Mike.

I am in favor of USA giving Haiti protectorate-commonwealth status.

The history of USA and Haiti is intertwined and dates back hundreds of years, Wikipedia has some excellent articles up about our very seasoned history together.

We people are so close in terms of history, I would gladly welcome them into our circle.

They really need us.



[edit on 13-1-2010 by muzzleflash]

These are some updated websites with mostly real time info on the ground:

Haitifeed

HaitianInternet



and the back online site for Yele
Yele Haiti

This may be a lesson to us at the expense of those poor Haitians. Its so easy to choo them off like pesky flies when they reach our shores, but you have to know these people dont even have the facility to enter this country legally. Its not easy for them. They have no money.

But lets look at what that country looks like, and one can only imagine why they seek "freedom"

:shk:

I guess we have to be in their shoes.

Originally posted by TheCoffinman
CNN: estimated 40,000-45,000 americans live in haiti, many are unaccounted for

Haitian First Lady: "Most of Port Au-Prince is destroyed"

If that number is correct, thousands of American citizens could be dead.

In terms of loss of US citizens lives, this could be worse than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It has the potential to be the worse in US history in terms of loss of life.

[edit on 13/1/10 by MikeboydUS]

on Twitter search Port Au-Prince:

awolkunazz318: rt @AnnCurry: Doctors Without borders says ALL hospitals in Haiti's Port au Prince area have either collapsed or been abandoned

TheOnlyKC: NO MORE UNIVERSITY OF PORT-AU-PRINCE......