Haiti.

[Dicko]

How much more misery is going to be heaped on these poor bastards.

Awful scenes.

BBC News - Haiti earthquake feared to have killed hundreds

 

A 7.0-magnitude quake which hit south of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is feared to have killed hundreds of people across the Caribbean country.

In the space of a minute, Haiti's worst quake in two centuries wrecked the HQ of the UN mission, the presidential palace and numerous other buildings.

A "large number" of UN personnel were reported missing by the organisation.

The capital is now said to be in total darkness with many people sleeping outside amid fear of more aftershocks.

Describing the earthquake as a "catastrophe", Haiti's envoy to the US said the cost of the damage could run into billions.

 

The quake, which struck about 15km (10 miles) south-west of Port-au-Prince, was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude.

The tremor hit at 1653 (2153 GMT), the US Geological Survey said. Phone lines to the country failed shortly afterwards.

Aid workers and reporters at the scene estimated the number of dead to be in the hundreds or even thousands.

 

I think hundreds of casualties would be a serious understatement

Rachmani Domersant, operations manager, Food for the Poor

 

In pictures: Haitian earthquake

As night fell, Rachmani Domersant, an operations manager with the Food for the Poor charity, told Reuters: "The whole city is in darkness.

"You have thousands of people sitting in the streets with nowhere to go. There are people running, crying, screaming."

Adding that he had seen no rescue vehicles in the hillside suburb of Petionville, he said: "People are trying to dig victims out with flashlights.

"I think hundreds of casualties would be a serious understatement."

There have been some reports of looting overnight.

Earlier, bodies white with dust could be seen piled on the back of a pick-up truck as vehicles tried to ferry the injured to hospital.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has suffered a number of recent disasters, including four hurricanes and storms in 2008 that killed hundreds.

'Three million affected'

In a statement issued in New York, the UN said that its local HQ in Haiti had "sustained serious damage along with other UN installations" and "a large number" of personnel were missing.

 

EYEWITNESS

Carel Pedre, TV and radio presenter, Port-au-Prince

I saw a lot of people crying for help, a lot of buildings collapsed, a lot of car damage, a lot of people without help, people bleeding.

I saw a movie theatre, a supermarket, a cybercafe, an apartment building which collapsed.

Now it's dark outside, there is no electricity, all the phone networks are down, so there's no way that people can get in touch with their family and friends.

There are aftershocks every 15 to 20 minutes. They last from three to five seconds. The first shock was really strong, people were falling in the streets and buildings collapsed.

I didn't see any emergency services, the people at the neighbourhood were trying to help each other.

The streets are narrow and there is lot of traffic and everyone is trying to reach family and friends. Traffic now is really difficult. People don't know where to go or where to start.

Eyewitness: 'Blood all over them'

UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said it was unclear how many people had been inside the building.

The head of the UN mission in Haiti, Hedi Annabi, was reported to have been in the building and is unaccounted for.

The UN's stabilisation mission plays a vital role in ensuring security in Haiti.

Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the US, said the presidential palace, the tax office, the ministry of commerce and the foreign ministry had all been damaged, but the airport was intact.

He and Haiti's ambassador to Mexico, Robert Manuel, both said that President Rene Preval and his wife had survived the quake.

The World Bank, which said its local offices were destroyed but that most staff were accounted for, planned to send a team to help Haiti assess damage and plan a recovery, Reuters reported.

Mike Blanpied of the US Geological Survey said that, based on the location and size of the quake, about three million people would have been severely shaken by its impact.

"This quake occurred under land as opposed to offshore, so a lot of people were directly exposed to the shaking coming off that earthquake fault, which was quite shallow," he told the BBC.

US President Barack Obama said in a statement that his "thoughts and prayers" were with the people of Haiti and America stood ready to assist them.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "My heart goes out to the people of Haiti after this devastating earthquake."

'Rubble and wire'

In the minutes after the quake, Henry Bahn, a visiting official from the US Department of Agriculture, said he had seen houses which had tumbled into a ravine.

 

HAITI COUNTRY PROFILE

 

Half of Caribbean island of Hispaniola

History of violence, instability and dictatorship

Population of 10 million people

Most live on less than $2 a day

Democratic rule restored in 2006

Economy in ruins and unemployment is chronic

UN peacekeepers deployed - foreign aid seen as vital

Massive deforestation has left just 2% forest

"Everybody is just totally, totally freaked out and shaken," said Mr Bahn, who described the sky as "just grey with dust".

He said he had been walking to his hotel room when the ground began to shake.

"I just held on and bounced across the wall," he said. "I just heard a tremendous amount of noise and shouting and screaming in the distance."

He said rocks were strewn all over the place, and the ravine was "just full of collapsed walls and rubble and barbed wire".

BBC News website readers in the Dominican Republic, which borders Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, said they had also felt the quake.

"My family is on the 8th floor of a tower in downtown Santo Domingo," wrote Max Levine.

"We felt a swaying of the building for 5-10 seconds. All the lamps were swinging. There was a 20-second pause and then another similar sway. We rushed out of the building with many others to the street."

In the immediate aftermath of the quake, a tsunami watch was put out for Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas, but this was later lifted.

[The-Sir]

My mates living over there with his dad at the moment, just been in touch and they're ok apparently, thank shit for that!

[Unrighteous]

Jesus! Lots of earthquakes lately... (over the last few years)

 

Do you think that the plates are going to make a massive jump or something?

[WaltonRed]

And yet people are still moaning over here about a bit of ice and being delayed on the bus.

 

Cunts.

[a stoner]

Our thoughts are with them all.

How long before the big one in California they seem to be getting closer and closer to there.

[loadsoftrophies]

Terrible news, my Sister worked over there before Christmas helping bulid houses for families. One of the poorest countries in the world and they're always getting hit by natural diasters.

Prime Minister reckons there could be anything up to 100,000 dead.

[WaltonRed]

The poor always get shit on, its fucking awful.

[James]

Heard on the news today that the death toll is currently estimated at near 50,000...

 

Horrific.

 

A "large number" of UN personnel were reported missing by the organisation.

 

I hate things like this. "Oh no... white folk are missing!".

 

I read somewhere that there were 2 Americans buried under the rubble! 2! 50,000 people have died and only 2 get paid attention because they're Americans.

[loadsoftrophies]

Sister told me there's about 2 million people living on top of eachother in shacks where the earthquake happened, they don't even have the money for a digger to try and find people buried under the rubble.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Makes you put your own worries into perspective. I truly hope that they get all the help they can and that they triumph above this terrible disaster.

[taliesin08]

I know how those poor poor people in Haiti feel. Last time I had 30 aftershocks I couldn't find my house either.

[odris]

The US have given 100 million to help and we have also given 6 million.

[OmarVizquel]

Militaries are good for one thing, at least: disaster response (when they aren't causing them, that is...).

 

Am thinking of making a donation...Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders. I don't suppose my pitiful amount will help much but it seems natural to want to help however much you can.

[Hand Shandy]

[YOUTUBE]f5TE99sAbwM[/YOUTUBE]

 

*shakes head*

[loadsoftrophies]

https://www.concern.net/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=42

 

Read it, click on the right one and donate.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

 

My regards to all those poor mutha fuckers down in Hay tay, oww kiss ma bad self.

[grazywalker]

There is a film called Ghosts Of Cite Soleil which is a look at the life of this city in Haiti and goes into the political corruption and the pure violence that is taken for granted . .It is not a brilliant film and is indeed a bit of an uncomfortable watch but it does highlight how horible the lives are over there .

 

Edit : ooooohh , that was 3000th post .

[Ezekiel 25:17]

There is a film called Ghosts Of Cite Soleil which is a look at the life of this city in Haiti and goes into the political corruption and the pure violence that is taken for granted . .It is not a brilliant film and is indeed a bit of an uncomfortable watch but it does highlight how horible the lives are over there .

 

Edit : ooooohh , that was 3000th post .

 

And in a quite bizarre turn of circumstances made me look at my post count, this post being the 9'999th !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cosmos]

I have never ceremonially fucked a chicken, nor have I ever suffered an earthquake. Coincidence? I think not.

[Fugitive]

Nothing compared to the rumblings in my arse today. I've been glued to the bog after some devastating movements in my guts and they should be praying for me.

 

Obama needs to send some troops and money my way for the fucking huge clear up operation that needs to take place.

[Section_31]

It's times like this that the west should be applauded for helping out, British fire crews are there already as are the US air force and army. I wonder what China and Russia's contribution to the relief effort will be? Or Iran's for that matter. It's easy to slag ourselves off at times, but when shit goes down, who you gonna call?

[Ezekiel 25:17]

It's times like this that the west should be applauded for helping out, British fire crews are there already as are the US air force and army. I wonder what China and Russia's contribution to the relief effort will be? Or Iran's for that matter.

 

They're sending there three best men in on the job, a team of crack commandos if you will, so I bid my sincerest adieu to Woo, Lance and Leeson, god speed men.

 

 

 

 

 

Leeson in full combat attire.

 

 

 

 

And that ladies and gentleman is my 10'000th post, took me a while to get there, been gone been gone, like a night with a fat ugly woman this place, as much as you want to, you can't stop thinking about it, and going back for more.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Ezekiel 25:17

[George Costanza]

Have to spread it first Ezekiel. But some top posting there fella.

 

As for Hiati. Terrible occurances but a small part of me often wonders we these things and our humanitarian aid. Shouldn't we get our own fucking mess of a country in order first before we go out helping others. Great gesture by Obama but i reckon a few Yanks will be thinking the same, particularly in New Orleans.

[Walton Park]

My brother has gone over there to help. He is part of the International Rescue Corps. He has been to Pakistan,Iran and other places after similar earthquakes. He must of seen some sites

 

I havent made a donation meself like but if anyone wants to :

 

The International Rescue Corps - Home Page

[Section_31]

My brother has gone over there to help. He is part of the International Rescue Corps. He has been to Pakistan,Iran and other places after similar earthquakes. He must of seen some sites

 

I havent made a donation meself like but if anyone wants to :

 

The International Rescue Corps - Home Page

 

Quality, which one are you? Scott or Virgil?