Devastating Natural Disaster Hits Southern Haiti
This is an example of some of the damage Haiti sustained after being struck by the earthquake.
A little before 5 p.m. yesterday, a level 7 earthquake struck Haiti at its heart. The nation’s capital was hit the hardest with the earthquake a mere 10 miles from Port-au-Prince; fires engulfed homes along the coastline, shantytowns were demolished under the natural disaster’s powerful might, and the electricity has been out during the whole time. According to recent news updates, it is only now (a full 24 hours and then some) that some citizens are finally getting their electricity back. The widespread black-out made communication increasingly difficult. Relief workers struggled to bring aid to the nation’s wounded population with rubble blocking every street and communication systems down. With all the debris and collapsed buildings, it is difficult to determine the exact number of casualties, but the U.S. State Department has been told to “expect serious loss of life.” The earthquake was devastating and the country sustained heavy damages. This magnitude 7.0 earthquake is said to have been the worst Haiti has seen for nearly two centuries. Witnesses say that the shock was so strong that it could still be felt in Cuba despite 200 miles worth of distance separating the two countries. David Wald, Geological Survey seismologist, states that several aftershocks followed the initial quake and there are many more to be expected following the hit. Currently, many are working hard to devise a rescue plan as well as provide relief supplies to the wounded survivors. CNN is providing live footage from the after-effects of the quake so stay tuned for more updates.
