HAITI: THOUSANDS FEARED DEAD AS 7.0 EARTHQUAKE DESTROYS MUCH OF PORT-AU-PRINCE

"My heart goes out to the people of Haiti after this devastating earthquake. At this time of tragedy, I am very concerned for the people of Haiti and also for the many United Nations staff who serve there.” Ban Ki-moon, UN Chief, New York. 

In ruins: Haiti's presidential palace

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | Int'l. Desk
Source & Credit:Times Online
By Ahmadiyya Times Staff

Thousands of people may have died from a powerful earthquake that rocked the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti. The quake measuring 7.0 toppled buildings including United Nations headquarters, presidential palaces and cathedrals.

The largest earthquake in 200 years, struck just 10 miles (16 km) from the capital, Port-au-Prince, left scores of roads and bridges in ruins. The Capital has a population of 2.5 million.

The violent aftershocks continue to rock the already devastated nation and the electricity and communication infrastructure were greatly disrupted.

According to Times Online, Rachmani Domersant, an operations manager with Food for the Poor said:
"I've seen seven to eight buildings, from office buildings to hotels and shopping stores, collapsed ... I think hundreds of casualties would be a serious understatement."

A Catholic Relief Services representative in the capital, Karel Zelenka , told American colleagues that “there must be thousands of people dead”.

Alain le Roy, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations confirmed to Times Online that the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and other UN installations had been seriously damaged.

"For the moment, a large number of personnel remain unaccounted for," said Mr le Roy.

According to a UN staffer, numerous people of the UN staff, which numbers about 9000, were under the rubble, dead and injured.

Raymond Joseph, Haitian Ambassador to the United States said: “I think it’s really a catastrophe of major proportions.”  The US Geological Survey said that the epicenter of the earthquake was 10 miles (16 km) from Port-au-Prince.

Joseph Delva, a reporter in Pétionville, an affluent suburb, said that one three-storey building was toppled and a tractor was at the scene trying to dig out victims.

“Everything started shaking, people were screaming, houses started collapsing . . . it’s total chaos,” he said.

In New York, UN chief Ban Ki-moon spoke of his concern for the local UN mission, which has been in Haiti since 2004.

"My heart goes out to the people of Haiti after this devastating earthquake," said Ban Ki-moon, UN Chief in New York. "At this time of tragedy, I am very concerned for the people of Haiti and also for the many United Nations staff who serve there,” he said according to Times Online.

“I just held on and bounced across the wall,” he said. “I just heard a tremendous amount of noise and shouting and screaming in the distance. The sky is just grey with dust.”

In Thomassin, just outside Port-au-Prince, Alain Denis said that the only road to the capital had been cut and that the phones were all dead, reported Times Online.

“It’s going to be a real killer,” said Tom Jordan, an earthquake expert at the University of Southern California.  The earthquake’s size and proximity to the capital had probably caused widespread casualties, he explained.

"It is just not possible to estimate the true loss-of-life this early in the aftermath," said CNN anchor in the late evening broadcast.

Humanity First, an international humanitarian services organization announced that their volunteers are  mobilizing to respond to the situation in Haiti.  Like many other organizations, Humanity First is also accepting donations for the relief work. People may go on their website www.humanityfirst.ca to donate online or they can send cheques to Humanity First.

"Humanity First has alerted its Disaster Response Team and volunteers are on standby for deployment while further assessment is being done," the organization said in a press release.


President Obama said the United States stands ready to help.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by this earthquake,” he said. “We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti.”

Edited by Ahmadiyya Times staff.

Visit Humanity First  here: www.humanityfirst.ca