Devastation in Haiti

On Tuesday, January 12th, 2010, a thirty second, category 7.0 earthquake managed to shake the nation of Haiti like never before. Although this earthquake only last 30 seconds, it came with over 15 aftershocks in the following 24 hour period. The death toll for this earthquake is currently at 70,000, and still rising, with countless people unaccounted for or missing. Barely any buildings throughout the country are still standing, with both living and dead people stuck underneath the debris of this disaster. This earthquake happened 10 miles from and 6 miles below the nation's capital, Port Au Prince, and it nearly destroyed the one main airport in Haiti. This means that even with the over 200 million dollars that has been raised by the Haitian Relief Fund, supplies have been flown in, but cannot reach the devastated people. Airplanes are not only in a traffic jam on the runway, but once the supplies are unloaded, they have no way of getting to the people who are in need. The roads are completely destroyed. This means that men, women and children have been waiting for a week for food and water. While in the beginning these people were patient, they are now beginning to grow restless. Looting has started to occur, meaning that people are breaking into torn down stores for food and water. People are killing each other, and bands of young men with machetes are marching down streets and demanding for supplies that no one can offer. It is starting to become very violent. While people who seek major medical attention are starting to be lifted out of the country, dead bodies line the streets. There is no way to remove these bodies, meaning that disease is spreading easily and rapidly, adding to the growing death toll. People all throughout the nation are hungry, thirsty, and wounded. While countries such as the United States begin to pull together to form a Haitian Relief Fund, this is not enough. We must find some way to give these dying people the supplies they need, before the death toll skyrockets and the violence increases.