Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION

Originally posted by cjcord
Fell asleep watching this horror, and I just knew what I would see this morning.

The Haitian Ambassador was on CNN last night, and his words literally brought me to tears. Stories of the mountains crumbling, bringing down entire shanty communities, with every aftershock adding to the damage. I believe the last report I saw stated there had been 32 shocks.

No building codes, houses made of sheet metal and concrete without reinforcement...These people had NO chance. Walls were falling onto the people in the streets who had fled their houses--

If I were single, I would be contacting everyone I could to see if I could help on the ground, as it is, I made some donations (which we know is hard for everyone to do right now), and hugged my children closer and reminded my family how lucky we are just for today.

We complain about a lot here in America. And yes, we have compassion for other less fortunate countries- but when devastation like this happens, with No warning, and NO preventative measures taken, I cannot help but be thankful that I live here, and try to help as much as I can. I am feeling helpless today, how could any of us be unmoved by the epic loss of life and livelihood that has happened here?


I agree with others who have pointed out that with the chaos there now, any actual figure for damage and death will be quite a few days in coming, if not weeks. Those injured may not recover. It will be a long time before most of these buildings will be cleared, with who knows how many victims inside.

With the state of most of these structures, i could easily see the numbers reaching in the hundreds of thousands, but I hope more than ever that I am wrong.


I understand the psychology of wanting to make sense of this disaster. I understand that we at ATS have the tendency to imagine all sorts of reasons-- but right now, a bit over 12 hours since this has happened, with the dust not even beginning to settle---I feel we should keep this particular thread on specific target. We can speculate any time, but right now, many of us want real news and confirmation, and directions to help if we can.

I am a journalist, and am trying to collect the data I can, and as I get new info, I will do my best to post it here. Today will be a busy day for many.

For all of us safe in our homes and able to post here, I urge you to reflect on that, and be grateful for what we have. Please don't take your life for granted.

Great post. I agree with everything said. This thread should be kept on track, because we do have members on here, such as Glencairn who have family over there and are relying on the updates and pictures we are providing.

Everyone should hug their families & friends and be thankful for where you are, because it really can just slide out from under you at any moment without warning.

It's too easy to just switch off and not pay attention to the news, but so many people need our help, even if it is just a prayer, or a positive vibe, it's a double tradgedy being so close to christmas, so alot of people won't be able to donate, but give what you can, even if it's to start a local appeal for blankets, or toys for the children who have lost something. Anything to help these people.

reply to post by Isawsomething


Add to this drama that, according to the numbers, half the population of Haiti is under the age of 18.

At least some of the communication is back up.

All telephone lines were reported to be down for hours following the quake, but Haitian radio reporter Carel Pedre tells CNN one of the main networks, Digicel, is back up and running.

BBC World News

Peace

Not suprisingly, most MSM is getting their info from social networking, Those on scene with internet access are doing a lot of reporting on twitter. For those who may not know, here is a link to a string search, HELP HAITI

At the right of the screen is a list of trending topics, more info can be found in real time by clicking on those.

As of this post I counted 33 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.0 or greater. Those poor people. I hoper we're able to get them some help right away.

reply to post by operation mindcrime



Yeah half the population is under age 18 because they've been breeding like rabbits. The population of Haiti increased from 250K in 1957 to what it is today. It's crazy! Just because you're poor doesn't mean you have to be stupid and irresponsible. This is a tragedy but it's also a wake up call. Haiti is the ghetto of the world like the inner cities of America. Instead of teaching these people to fish they've been given fish for too long. Welfare helps no one. Whether it's country wide or international. The world should be clamoring to help Haiti as the world has helped create the poverty within the country.

A search and rescue team has been sent from Iceland , they are expected to be in Haiti within the next 24 hours.

We are sitting on a fault line ourselves here in Reykjavik and expect the "Big One" any day now.

The last one I experienced was 6.1 , not a lot of damage but extremely disconcerting.

May the gods be with the people of Haiti.

MSM reports a Naval Hospital Ship was sent last night from US. Disaster reponse teams are en route from many areas in Southern US, and CA.

Locally ( for me at least), Red Cross of MA has set up a line dedicated for families of those who are looking for info on family on the ground, I am getting that number shortly.

Also, those who want to help and cannot make a donation, check with your local places of worship and welfare offices. Most areas have automatic plans in place that start collections for donations in the events of disaster.


Link to contact your local Red Cross chapter: Red Cross Local

More info:
White House Blog on Haiti

I have more contact info, will add here in a moment. Life intervenes, time to take kids to school.

Originally posted by operation mindcrime

At least some of the communication is back up.

That's the first good news i hear of since the start of this tragedy. Communication is indispensable to even just plan some rescue: knowing the situation of every single town and village, rescuers' task force wil be in condition to plan some real data based contingency plan; one of the issues that often occur due to lack of informations is that many rescuers are sent to places where they aren't needed (or just needed in some small part) while at the same time somewhere else there are thousands of people needing and waiting in vain for help: and since the resources are very limited, it's a waste to avoid at every cost. Communication is the first thing that you need, before anything else, especially because after the main shock some count down started, Time is a hard Master and won't wait for rescuers, unless they won't hurry up. Many of the people under debris are wounded, some of them are already suffering for lack of water, they are living some experience that hasn't to be very different from Hell: them, together with injuried, are the top of the list of priorities now, and only communication can be helpful to track them down. My thoughts go to all those that are in such an horrible situation right now

A memo arrived via scientific channels indicating little to no machinery is available to rescue those trapped, out lying areas are also devastated, calls are going out for rescue specialists, food, water etc. Death toll estimates have now risen to "many thousands".

From Reuters

"I am appealing to the world, especially the United States, to do what they did for us back in 2008 when four hurricanes hit Haiti," Raymond Alcide Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to Washington, said in a CNN interview.

"At that time the U.S. dispatched ... a hospital ship off the coast of Haiti. I hope that will be done again ... and help us in this dire situation that we find ourselves in. I'm asking the Haitians who are abroad to work together and bring all the effort in a concerted manner to help those back home."

source
uk.reuters.com...

Well, i just saw on a site that the founder of the Pastoral da Criança (you can translate it to something like Pastoral Care for Children), the brazilian doctor Zilda Arns, who was there helping haitian children, died, along with 4 brazilian soldiers.

Here is the link, but it's in Portuguese: noticias.uol.com.br...

Brazil is also sending 10 million dollars and 14 tons of food to help Haiti.

Here is the link, also in Portuguese: noticias.uol.com.br...

Sorry for only sending brazilian information, but that's all i can do right now.

[edit on 13/1/10 by Canslli]

I couldn't make the translated links work.

[edit on 13/1/10 by Canslli]

reply to post by Canslli


I hope that for some this is at least a bit of good news...

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the earthquake has had a "devastating impact" on Port-au-Prince but that other areas of Haiti are largely unaffected.

BBC World News

Peace

Well it appears to be a pretty bad one.

Here is the link to this morning Miami's Herald.

Miami has a huge Haitian population and it's own bureau and writers in Port au Prince, lots of information in the articles, here is the link to the main one.

Miamiherald.com

I have a number of Haitian friends and bussines associates I will post anything they share as they do.

This is the Toll Free Number set up by the U.S. Government for anyone trying to find out information about friends or family in Haiti:

The toll-free number to call for information about family members in Haiti is 1-888-407-4747. The State Department advises that some callers may receive a recording because of heavy volume of calls.

Officials say the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Port-au-Prince is still in the early stages of contacting American citizens and notes that communications are difficult within Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake.

[edit on 13/1/10 by ProtoplasmicTraveler]

Twitter: bbrasier: RT @MByrd: Red Cross estimating up to 3 million people dead from earthquake. #Haiti ow.ly... (via @unfoundation)

TWITTER: wdunn248: whoa RT @BlackMediaSCOOP: France says the head of UN peacekeepers in Haiti and "all those around him" are believed dead after earthquake

Originally posted by Foo_Lovers

Originally posted by operation mindcrime
reply to post by DamaSan

 

Didn't we have a lot of dead squid/fish turning up in this area some time ago?

Dead fish provoke alert around gulf...

related?

Peace

Also very recently on the other side of the Atlantic we had this www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Haydn_17
Thousands of dead octopuses have washed up on a beach in northern Portugal, in what is being called an environmental disaster.

They cover a 5-mile stretch of Vila Nova de Gaia beach - no reason has yet been found for their appearance.

news.bbc.co.uk...


Whats with all the sea creatures being washed up on beaches lately? Have they forgot which way they are meant to be going?
Or is something else at work..

and...

Originally posted by Julie Washington
Gosh, something must be going on.

December 9, 2009 - Holkham Beach in Norfolk
10,000 Starfish turn up dead

Story and Photos


December 27, 2009 - New Zealand
125 Pilot whales beach themselves:
Story

Could they be related?

Just in more creatures found washed up on beaches this today from Margate www.kentonline.co.uk... in Kent UK Its the turn of the crabs, what is going on??? They say its due to a cold snap

I

I thought crabs were found in even the coldest of waters ..

[edit on 13-1-2010 by Foo_Lovers]

[edit on 13-1-2010 by Foo_Lovers]

There will be a huge response from the Americans. I am sure thousands will be transported to facilities in Florida. Many will likely remain in the area and receive US citizenship at some point. American companies will provide construction help and hopefully impress upon the local contractors that some codes are needed to keep buildings from falling over. Water purification and morgue facilities will be erected, managed, and maintained. Aid will be rendered because it is what America always does.

Then it will be back to business as usual as the world kicks America in the nuts next week.

reply to post by mike_trivisonno


Please stop with the self complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. People are dying!! I really don't think that this is the best of times to worry about issues like this.

On the subject:

UN chief Ban Ki-moon says the UN is mobilising an emergency response team and releasing $10m (£6m) from its emergency relief fund for victims of the Haiti quake.

US President Barack Obama will make a statement on the Haiti disaster at 1500 GMT (1000 EST), says the White House.

BBC World News

Peace

[edit on 13/1/2010 by operation mindcrime]

reply to post by ahemot


The news states up to 3 million affected, not up to 3 million dead.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

reply to post by mike_trivisonno


You know it's not always america on the white horse saving everyone don't you? I hope every country gets up and does their bit, because we are all human, and when others are dying and need our help, it'd be really nice if everyone dropped the politics and pi**ing contests and actually got their hands dirty.

Going to bed, I'm not overly religious, but before i go to sleep i will pray to whoever's listening for everyone over there, and i really hope i don't wake up to even more horrific news from haiti, but i can't help but think for the next few weeks, that's all that the news from over there will bring. Thanks to Phlynx for starting the thread, and to everyone providing us all with so many useful updates. People are relying on them.

Take care.

From my understanding and drawing conclusions from the reports, the President and possible members of the government are unaccounted for and possibly among the dead.

Correction:

President Rene Preval and his wife are accounted for. The apparent government destruction includes; presidential palace, the tax office, the ministry of commerce and the foreign ministry.

[edit on 13-1-2010 by infinite]