Amphytrite
Hard for Drah
I don't really even like hearing about it or reading about it
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Posts: 6818 (1.114)
Reg. Date: Apr 2004
Location: Cowpenis
Gender: Female |
(Originally posted on: 01-13-10 04:39:19 PM)
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As many of you know, Haiti was hit by a massive 7.0 earthquake less than 10 miles outside its capital, Port-au-Prince, on Tuesday. The country's prime minister estimates that thousands of people are dead, and reports are estimating anywhere from ten thousand to one hundred thousand are dead; the American Red Cross estimates that approximately 30% of the country's population has been physically affected. Most of the buildings in Port-au-Prince, such as the National Palace, hospitals (including the Doctors without Borders setups) and the UN's head mission building, are severely damaged or destroyed. Haiti, which is already in a precarious position economically, has been rocked by the earthquake and its aftershocks and basic services--food, water, medical treatment--are under massive strain. Citizens are sleeping on beds of cardboard in the streets, on soccer fields and in parks, as far away from buildings as possible because very, very few have been left undamaged.
Currently, humanitarian relief is flowing into the country rapidly, with dozens of countries declaring support either monetarily or by sending physical aid in terms of food and water, doctors and medical supplies.
But will it be enough?
Although Haiti has had political calm in the last few years, the fact is that the country is still a very rough place to live. 80% of the country is at or below the poverty line. Currently, there is next to no medical aid, and even within 24 hours injuries can easily become infected, which simply compounds the amount of medical aid a person will need.
I admittedly know very little about Haiti beyond the civil unrest of the 1990s and the extreme poverty rate (and Wyclef Jean, obv). I'm not very certain what to think about the whole thing, but it's obvious that Haiti's future currently looks very, very bleak. Do you guys think Haiti can come back from this disaster? Will the country fall into anarchy or will it emerge as a stronger place because of this?
Also, for an idea of the damage the earthquake has done, here's an image of the National Palace before:
And after.
Spiff: amphytrite, the anti-tart
Purple: Amphy, scratch my neckfat
Nickolati: when i was 17, fruit loops gave me a boner
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