August 16, 2021

HAITI: Massive 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Rocked The Nation On Saturday. 1,419 People Have Died. Tropical Storm Expected To Reach The Island Tonight Could Trigger Landslides Bring More Misery

dutchsinse published August 14, 2021: ALERT - M7.2 Earthquake strikes Haiti Caribbean -- MAJOR UNREST 5th M7.0 in two weeks. This is what we call "go time". This is major movement. These earthquakes are all related, and tied to the deep events taking place this past week. This now makes 5 different M7.0+ earthquakes in about 2 weeks time, two of which are M8.1 to M8.2.

Don't be scared, be prepared.

I recommend that you follow dutchsinse on YouTube for regular worldwide earthquake and volcano activity updates. He does great work. He's very dedicated and enthusiastic. I appreciate him.
BBC News, UK
written by Staff
Monday August 16, 2021

Rescue workers are rushing to locate survivors of the deadly earthquake that struck Haiti on Saturday as a tropical storm is heading towards the Caribbean nation.

At least 1,419 people are known to have died in the 7.2-magnitude quake and an unknown number are still missing.

Tropical Depression Grace is expected to pass over the worst affected area later on Monday.

It is feared heavy rain brought by Grace could trigger landslides.

Roads already made impassable by the quake could be further damaged by the rains, so aid teams are racing to get essential provisions to the quake-hit region before Grace hits.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for the entire coast of Haiti as well as for the neighbouring Dominican Republic.

Search and rescue teams have been arriving from the United States and Chile, with more on the way from Mexico. Cuban medical teams are already in Haiti and helping people.

Humanitarian organisations say survivors need drinking water and shelter. More than 30,000 families have reportedly been left homeless.

Homes, churches and schools were among buildings flattened in the quake. Some hospitals were left overwhelmed and in need of supplies as they struggled to treat the injured, of whom there are more than 6,900.

The earthquake compounds problems facing the impoverished nation, which is already reeling from a political crisis following the assassination of its president last month.

The south-west of Haiti appears to have suffered the worst of the damage, especially around the city of Les Cayes.

Footage on social media showed residents desperately trying to pull victims from ruined buildings.

"The streets are filled with screaming," Archdeacon Abiade Lozama, head of an Anglican church in Les Cayes, told the New York Times. "People are searching, for loved ones or resources, medical help, water."

The epicentre of Saturday's quake was about 12km (7.5 miles) from the town of Saint-Louis du Sud, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

But the tremor could be felt in the densely-populated capital of Port-au-Prince, some 125km away, and in neighbouring countries.

Hospitals under fear of collapse By James Clayton, BBC News, Les Cayes

It's hard enough to treat survivors of any natural disaster but when the hospitals themselves are under fear of collapse it makes it all the more difficult.

Les Cayes Ofatma hospital is deemed too unsafe to stay in so they've brought everyone outside. People swat away flies, on hospital beds placed under makeshift tents and trees. You can hear people screaming in pain.

One woman, Elsy, had only just woken up when the earthquake happened. Her son has a serious fracture to his leg.

There simply aren't the facilities needed to treat people in this remote part of the country. One doctor comes to us, angry, asking why he has no medicine.

One woman we spoke to - who has a very bad broken leg and is also pregnant - has had no pain relief for two days.

The people here need help but at the moment not enough help is coming - and with a tropical storm close by it could become even more difficult.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry declared a month-long state of emergency and urged the population to "show solidarity".

The Pope offered prayers for the victims during a Sunday address and expressed hope that aid would arrive soon.

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, whose father is from Haiti, said she would donate her earnings from next week's Western and Southern Open to help finance relief efforts.

Aftershocks were felt after the initial tremor on Saturday, with the USGS initially warning the earthquake could result in thousands of fatalities and injuries.

A 2010 earthquake in Haiti killed more than 200,000 people and caused extensive damage to the country's infrastructure and economy.
Forbes Breaking News published August 16, 2021: UN Spox Speaks About Afghanistan, Haiti Earthquake. The UN spokesperson speaks about the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and the earthquake in Haiti.

Reuters News
written by Laura Gottesdiener and Drazen Jorgic
Monday August 16, 2021

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Aug 15 (Reuters) - A "humanitarian corridor" through Haiti's gang-infested areas should be established so aid can flow to the southern regions hit by a powerful earthquake on Saturday that killed more than 1,200 people, a U.N. official said on Sunday.

The United Nations and the Haitian government have struggled to send medical supplies and doctors by road to the town of Les Cayes, which bore the brunt of the damage, due to security concerns. Instead, they have been using boats and air transport.

A spike in kidnappings and gang violence has left some roads in Port-au-Prince dangerous to drive on, including the urban area of Martissant, home to the main thoroughfare linking the coastal capital with the southern regions.

Bruno Maes, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Haiti, said the U.N. was "calling for a humanitarian corridor in Haiti to allow quicker and safer transfer of goods and people".

"We are really advocating for armed groups to allow this humanitarian aid to go to reach the people as soon as possible," Maes told Reuters.

UNICEF has managed to send one container with medical supplies to southern Haiti but the agency and many other aid organizations need to dispatch much more help to Les Cayes and surrounding areas, Baes said.

Jery Chandler, head of Haiti's Civil Protection Agency, said the authorities were working on providing access through Martissant but for the time being the government was sending most of the help by helicopters, planes and boats.

"Now we're working on establishing a real open access road through Martissant," Chandler said.

Reports on social media, including an interview with a purported gang leader, suggested the armed groups had called a truce and would let aid pass, though so far there has been no confirmation of this.

Posted by Princess Mononoke at 5:25 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)