7.0 Earthquake Tuesday in Haiti

[Posting a link?]

Forum Guidelines
Posting a link? Read This!

Forgot your password? Need help?
Click Here To Contact Us

Mudflats Merchandise
AKMuckraker Amazon Store
Support AKM Merchandise

Download it here!

[0whole1]

Comprehensive list of aid sites:

Code:

http://lifeisacookie.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/this-is-real/

[ds55]

Watching MSNBC coverage of the earthquake in Haiti, I'm reminded of the coverage of Katrina especially now that 2 days have passed and there are corpses lining the streets under intense heat.

[Writing from Alaska]

Someone else from Alaska will be famous soon - and it isn't any of the usual suspects.

I just read an email from Christa Brelsford's Dad reporting that her boyfriend told him she was interviewed by Larry King tonight and will be on the morning shows tomorrow. I didn't see anything on Larry King's website yet, but it may be too early.

Now some folks can get a good look at a very different kind of Alaskan, one that is very compassionate about the circumstances in Haiti despite her own life changing injuries and loss of her foot. Wow again.

[Sirenoftitan]

Why did the political, economic and ecological histories of the Dominican Republic and Haiti – two countries that share the same island – unfold so differently? Part of the answer involves environmental differences.

Hispaniola's rains come mainly from the east. Hence the Dominican (eastern) part of the island receives more rain and thus supports higher rates of plant growth. Hispaniola's highest mountains (more than 10,000ft) are on the Dominican side and the rivers from those mountains mainly flow eastwards into the Dominican side. This has broad valleys, plains and plateaus and much thicker soils. In particular, the Cibao valley in the north is one of the richest agricultural areas in the world.

A divided island: the forces working against Haiti by Jared Diamond, The Guardian

[Sirenoftitan]

Bottlenecks and infrastructure damage have been holding up aid efforts in Haiti, where Tuesday's earthquake has left as many as 45,000-50,000 dead.  There is little sign of humanitarian supplies beyond the Port-au-Prince airport, and correspondents say there is increasing anger among survivors.  Many are spending a third night without shelter in the ruined capital.  A US aircraft carrier is due to arrive off the coast of Haiti to help co-ordinate the movement of supplies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8460574.stm

[judi]

WRA that is wonderful news...to be safe..

Lani...oh I needed that laugh after all the crying I have been doing

Sister...that is truly inspirational...after sending as much as I can...have begun to talk via fb about having a bake sale...dont laugh....to raise $$ to send...just have to do more as I walk around my home, where it is warm, we have lots of food (too much really), lights, etc ...sometimes the universe hits us over the head to remind us all of just how very blessed we are..this seems to be one of those times

[boodog]

In case you missed it, the BEST late night show has a message and reminder of how we can help. Class act.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LDh7BBK_4

Also Novica (in assoc. with National Geographic) has offered to donate 10% of their sales from Brazil, Mexico and Peru. You can support UNICEF  Haiti Earthquake Relief directly on this site also:

http://www.novica.com/

[futurexpat?]

Why did the political, economic and ecological histories of the Dominican Republic and Haiti – two countries that share the same island – unfold so differently? Part of the answer involves environmental differences.

Hispaniola's rains come mainly from the east. Hence the Dominican (eastern) part of the island receives more rain and thus supports higher rates of plant growth. Hispaniola's highest mountains (more than 10,000ft) are on the Dominican side and the rivers from those mountains mainly flow eastwards into the Dominican side. This has broad valleys, plains and plateaus and much thicker soils. In particular, the Cibao valley in the north is one of the richest agricultural areas in the world.

A divided island: the forces working against Haiti by Jared Diamond, The Guardian

Thanks for posting this link. I have flown over the island, and it truly does look like that photo and is absolutely tragic.

[Lani]

HuffPo has a page devoted to breaking news and updates: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/15/haiti-earthquake-breaking_n_421644.html

Amidst all the horror and tragedy, there are a couple of updates that show a change in the way Haiti is viewed and treated.  Like these, for example:

France on Friday urged Haiti's creditors to speed efforts to cancel the impoverished Caribbean nation's debt, a stranglehold that began two centuries ago when Napoleon demanded reparations for the island's independence.

In 1825, France demanded 150 million francs in gold as reparations for lands lost by former slave owners. Haiti took massive loans from American, German and French banks at exorbitant rates of interest to pay back France.

The Obama administration, which earlier this week imposed a temporary halt on deportations for Haitian immigrants with expulsion orders, has now granted them Temporary Protected Status, which will allow them to stay and work in the country for 18 months.

And this paragraph from The Christian Science Monitor, which lists some of the countries now represented among the relief workers.  Enemies have laid down arms and taken up the work of saving lives.

Teams from across the world have been arriving in Haiti since the first hours after the quake. Many have not gotten any more than a few minutes of sleep, if any. The more than 20 countries here - in addition to the UN, World Bank, and numerous private groups - have already pledged aid to Haiti. Brazil is dispatching aircraft with food and water, Cuba has sent 30 doctors, and Israel dispatched a rescue staff of 240. At the Port-au-Prince airport, military planes from Venezuela and Colombia had landed, bringing in supplies.

[daMamma]

from my CTV news Calgary (tv news)

Aid is having a hard time reaching those in need.  The infrastructure is so destroyed, along with the chain of command that the airport is filled to capacity with food, water and medical supplies that cannot get out.  New planes are unable to land.  (they keep trying though)

Some of the survivors are becoming restless and angry at no help yet.  There is some fear that violence may break out.  Reports of survivors roaming the streets looking for food and water, many of the dead are still in the streets where they died.  It is chaos, Canadian doctors have joined those there, and taken up space in already crowded make-shift tents and in the streets as there currently is no place for them to set up their own tents or facilities.

The hospital is collapsed, the building normally used as the morgue is now being used as a hospital.

These reports from one Canadian just returned today to Winnipeg from Haiti.  He also says that after shocks are strong and many and every time a new one hit he could hear the screams and wails outside the embassy.  There are still around 5000 Canadians who have not checked in or have been heard from.  (missing)

The Canadian government has sent aid, and pledged to match any donations by citizens up to $50 million dollars.  MP Harper and his wife have already made a personal donation.  (amount undisclosed)

[pacos_gal]

Even the relief aid part sounds like a royal disaster in just trying to figure out what to do and how best to do it.

[futurexpat?]

I heard going into the Rachel Maddow show that the most recent estimate is 140,000-200,000 dead with 70 percent of them unburied.

[ds55]

Prison collapsed freeing 4,000 criminals into the streets of Haiti.
There will be violence, count on it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/15/crimesider/entry6100169.shtml

[futurexpat?]

It's starting to get ugly already. I saw video of young men roving the streets with machettis. Nothing good can come from that.

[daMamma]

The biggest problem with getting the aid to the people is that there is no place to take it.  The whole place is a disaster area.  Anything still standing is unstable.  The roads for the most part are filled with derbies and bodies.

I'd heard about the prison yesterday, you are right ds55 there will be violence. 

Canada has also sent about 100 troops to protect the aid workers from rioters and looters.  You just know that is going to be a problem, the desperation is so intense. 

[Forty Watt]

It was only a matter of time. 

Undocumented Haitians have been afforded U.S. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) because of the calamity. 

However, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) seems to think that not only were undocumented Haitians undeserving of TPS status then, undocumented Haitians living in the U.S. should now be deported back to their country to specifically serve as much-needed relief workers. ABCNews reports:

 “This sounds to me like open borders advocates exercising the Rahm Emanuel axiom: ‘Never let a crisis go to waste,’” Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said in an e-mail message to ABCNews. “Illegal immigrants from Haiti have no reason to fear deportation but if they are deported, Haiti is in great need of relief workers and many of them could be a big help to their fellow Haitians.”

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/01/15/steve-king-haiti/

Unspeakable.

[daMamma]

Why are some groups of people always so mean?

[Forty Watt]

Why are some groups of people always so mean?

I have no idea, daMamma.  I think they must be very angry inside.

On another note, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the former Haitian president of Haiti wants to return to aid the victims.  Ousted in a military coup 5 years ago, he talked to reporters in South Africa.

If Aristide does return, political instability in an impoverished nation struggling to dig itself out from the massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake could result.

Aristide has previously hinted at returning, saying he merely wants to be a teacher. But his enduring popularity and ability to galvanize Haitians would likely propel him into the political spotlight.

"We feel deeply and profoundly that we should be there, in Haiti, with them, trying our best to prevent death," Aristide told reporters.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/01/201011513247850356.html

[Ripley in CT]

I am profoundly affected by seeing pictures of bodies lining and clogging the streets. 

How can these bigoted racists ignore that?

[Forty Watt]

They are now saying perhaps 200,000 have been killed.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/01/2010115171416848545.html