One of the world's poorest and least developed countries got hit by a major earthquake. The quake of magnitude 7.0 destroyed large parts of the island nation: on 16:53 yesterday, January 12 the earth in the Carribean country shook. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake destroyed large parts of the impoverished island nation. Also in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, the tremors were felt. The authorities in Haiti fear some 1000 deaths, which are currently still under rubble. Eyewitnesses reported already from the first looting. At some places the earthquake caused huge gorges. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed including the presidential palace of Haiti. The President René Préval has survived the quake.
Due to the fact that Haiti is hardly able to help itself, international relief efforts have already begun to run. Several Latin American countries offered their assistance. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) provided more than $ 200,000 for emergency water and food. Canada and the United States offered their assistance as well. The United States sent 48 tonnes of relief supplies and search teams. The entire extent of the disaster will surely be able to be assessed in the coming days. But it is already clear that the earthquake was a severe blow to Haiti. The quake was the heaviest in the Carribean region for more than 200 years.(Wednesday,13 Jan. 2010, 8AM)
Latest Reports from Haiti:
Walter Hays, former USGS earthquake specialist. His up-dates on the Haiti earthquake here:
2010 Haiti Earthquake: Current Damages Patterns
Information Update 15 January 2010
More information:
USGS Haiti Earthquake Information
Hands Across Haiti Organization
SpiegelOnline Picturegalerie - Haiti Before and After the Earthquake
Help with a Donation
The best way you can help is by a donating to the relief efforts in Haiti. Below some links to credible, efficent organizations, that are ground working tirelessly to assist the people of Haiti:
UNICEF EMERGENCY HELP FOR HAITI
MSF - Médecins sans Frontières
