January 13, 2010

An Earthquake Shakes Haiti

The Caribbean nation responds to a deadly, devastating quake

By Vickie An

A powerful earthquake rocked the Caribbean nation of Haiti on Tuesday. The magnitude 7.0 quake struck 10 miles outside of the country's capital, Port-au-Prince, at 4:53 p.m. Officials fear that tens of thousands of people may be dead. Many people were injured and more are still missing.

A Big Jolt

Tuesday's tremor was the strongest to hit the region since 1770, said Kristin Marano of the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake leveled thousands of buildings, from schools to the National Palace, the President's home. The tremors cut off electricity and phone service. Neighborhoods were crushed, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.

The tremor was also felt in the neighboring island of Cuba and in the Dominican Republic, which is also part of the island of Hispaniola, along with Haiti. No major damages were reported in either country.

Strong aftershocks continued to shake up Port-au-Prince's 2 million residents after the initial tremor died down. Stunned survivors walked through the rubble searching for loved ones, coworkers and neighbors. Many people found comfort by gathering together in public squares to sing hymns.

Helping Haiti

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. About 80% of the country's 9 million people live in poverty. Years of political turmoil have left Haiti with no real safety standards for buildings. In November 2008, after the collapse of a school, the mayor of Port-au-Prince estimated that more than half of the city's buildings were unsafe.

President Barack Obama and other world leaders were quick to offer support for Haiti and its people. "We have to be there for them in their hour of need," Obama said. A U.S. disaster relief team is flying into the area today, said Rajiv Shah of the U.S. Agency for International Development. International aid groups, including the Red Cross, have also announced plans to send aid.

The hospitals that weren't damaged in the quake are overflowing with victims. Help can't come soon enough. "Haiti needs to pray," said Dr. Louis-Gerard Gilles. "We all need to pray together."

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