Haiti: head of UN mission dead, 100+ UN staff missing, Catholic bishop dead, thousands trapped

[Peace Patriot]

in collapsed buildings probably dead (200 in one hotel alone), bodies piled up in the streets, thousands wandering around homeless and dazed, Port-au-Prince devastated, presidential palace collapsed (president alive), reports of houses fallen into a ravine, and many 2- and 3-story buildings collapsed, worst damage in the Carrefour district, communications down everywhere (so reports are still scattered), many Chinese, Brazilian and other UN peacekeepers reported dead, a Monsignor in a French mission reported dead. The damage seems to be concentrated in the capital; some outlying areas unaffected.

This is a summary of CNN and BBC reports:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/13/haiti.aid.response/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8456819.stm

This is a horrendous disaster hitting one of the poorest nations on earth. Would they have been better prepared if the U.S./Bushwhacks hadn't destroyed their democracy in 2004? Hard to say. But I can't help thinking of how the poor suffer the most from U.S. interference and from natural disasters.

The Obama administration was quick (the first) to respond, quickly followed by Oxfam, the UN, the Red Cross and Venezuela, and now others are coming forward. Massive aid will be needed just to stabilize the situation. With their major city in ruins, essentials like food distribution, clean water, temporary housing, medical help, sanitation, emergency services and keeping public order will all be especially difficult. In addition to the presidential palace, numerous government buildings collapsed in the earthquake, at least one hospital, at least one hotel and numerous homes and other structures, probably including bridges and roads. The UN peacekeepers' building collapsed (thousands of UN personnel unaccounted for). The World Bank's offices collapsed. The offices of Medecins Sans Frontieres (doctors without borders) were damaged. Some lives were spared because the earthquake hit just after the end of the business day, so a lot of workers were already headed home--but so many buildings were collapsing that there were likely many casualties on the roads and sidewalks.

I will keep posting news reports on the Haiti earthquake as long as I can, today.

HOW TO HELP: A list of aid agencies that need donations...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8456730.stm
(more info on aid) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8456192.stm

[Peace Patriot]

1. Further info and some sidelights...

Donations to the Red Cross

If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org.
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_src=RSG000000000&s_subsrc=RCO_BigRedButton

You can text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti. The donation will be charged to your cellphone bill.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2010/01/haiti-resources-and-how-to-help.html

Emergency call for U.S. nurses to go to Haiti
Sign up here: www.nationalnursesunited.org
Press release: http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/press-releases/2010/january/largest-rn-union-issues-urgent-call-for-nurse-volunteers-to-assist-earthquake-ravaged-haiti.html

Doctors Without Borders loses all three hospitals in Haitian quake
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/breakingnews/81333747.html

Haiti death toll may be 100,000
http://www.canada.com/news/world/Haiti+quake+death+toll/2437153/story.html

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(U.S. sends 2,000 marines)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2010/01/early-assessment-of-haiti-quake-damage-centered-around-portauprince.html

About impacts on tourists...
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/consuminginterests/blog/2010/01/american_flight_manages_to_tak.html

About Haitian rap star Wyclef Jean's appeal for aid
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8457497.stm

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Reach Out to Haiti Earthquake Victims
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-reach-out-to-haiti-earthquake-victims-2010131

Report on Americans in Haiti (churches and charities, NGOs) (lots of people missing)
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/13/haiti.missing.americans/
Americans seeking information on missing loved ones can call 888-407-4747

The U.S. State Department Operations Center set up the following number for Americans seeking information about relatives in Haiti: 888-407-4747
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2010/01/haiti-resources-and-how-to-help.html

[Peace Patriot]

2. Poor building codes, perfect-storm earthquake led to massive destruction in Haiti

Poor building codes, perfect-storm earthquake led to massive destruction in Haiti, experts say
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/poor-building-codes-perfect-storm-earthquake-led-to-massive-destruction-quake-experts-say.html
(Good question to ask: WHY is Haiti so poor? WHO has been robbing them for decades, deforesting their country, paying workers $2/day and less, and destroying their democracy time and again? Ahem, the very same countries that are being so charitable and generous today are the same ones that made it impossible for Haiti to afford earthquake proofing of their capitol's main government buildings, hospitals, hotels, office and apartment buildings and other structures. Just sayin'.)

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(small communities near Port-au-Prince also affected; est. 3 million affected by the quake, tens of thousands dead; many bridges knocked out, hospitals and care facilities destroyed or damaged, road from airport to city is blocked with debris, getting aid to the people very difficult)
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/disaster/Devastation-Hampers-Earthquake-Relief-Effort-in-Haiti-81337062.html

American missionary (whose wife was pulled out alive after being buried in rubble for 10 hours) reports that "every other building" in Port-au-Prince has been destroyed), that there are injured and dying people on the streets and that it looks like "a war zone")
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/13/haiti-earthquake-american_n_421547.html
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More tourist info...

Airlines suspend flights to Haiti after earthquake
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/01/13/haiti.flights/

JetBlue waives fees (for travel changes) after Haiti quake
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9D6V4TO1.htm

[inna]

3. KR+2! This needs to make it to the GP!! Please K&R!

:kick:

[cordelia]

4. K&R

[Nikki Stone1]

5. K & R

Kicking for the information about the agencies.

[Derechos]

6. “Haiti is Shaken to the Core”: Amy Goodman Reports from Port-au-Prince

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/19/haiti_is_shaken_to_the_core

[Derechos]

7. Feds: Up to 200,000 Haitians expected to apply for TPS

Federal immigration officials are expecting up to 200,000 undocumented Haitian immigrants, including nearly 68,000 in South Florida, to apply for a new federal immigration program that would allow the migrants to legally remain and work in the United States for 18 months.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/breaking-news/story/1435825.html