- Over 7,000 homes have been leveled, and there are at least 6,900 injured people.
- Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry has declared a one-month state of emergency.
- On top of the earthquake, Haiti is dealing with ongoing gang violence and the recent assassination of its President Jovenel Moise who was shot to death in his home just over a month ago.
The quake struck in the southwestern part of the country leaving some towns completely demolished and thousands homeless. Over 7,000 homes have been leveled, and there are at least 6,900 injured people, many of whom are waiting to be hospitalized. Many of the wounded are facing the potential of getting infected being stuck out in the elements without medical care.
Les Cayes town on the coast was severely damaged from the earthquake with many families hanging onto what belonging they could salvage as they got through the night out in the open air.
A one-month state of emergency has been declared by Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The PM called for “structured solidarity” recalling the mass confusion of aid efforts after the earthquake that struck 11 years ago.
Aid is being directed to those areas in most need and where hospitals are beyond capacity. Rescue planes are making as many airlifts of help as possible from several towns in the country.
Samantha Power has been named as the USAID Administrator by US President Joe Biden to oversee help from the United States for Haiti. A 65-member search and rescue mission is being sent from Virginia. The US Coast Guard is transporting injured people along with medical personnel along with ships and aircraft. Samaritan’s Purse, an aid group based in North Carolina, is sending 13 disaster response specialists and 31 tons of emergency supplies.
The UN World Food Program is working to send truckloads of food supplies on Tuesday.
Gang activity is complicating relief efforts, especially in Martissant, a seaside district west of the capital. Officials had to negotiate with the gangs who agreed to allow 2 humanitarian convoys a day to come through.
On top of the ongoing gang violence, Haiti is dealing with the recent assassination of its President Jovenel Moise who was shot to death in his home just over a month ago leaving the nation in political chaos. And to top it off, there is of course the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude-5.2 aftershock was felt after the earthquake, followed by 9 aftershocks with more expected in the coming days.
Message of hope from Guyana
The Peoples Progressive Party Civic/Guyana announced in a tweet today that the Guyana Office of the Prime Minister announced that a bank account has been set up to receive donations for the Haiti earthquake relief effort. The statement read in part:
“In keeping with the government’s commitment to taking swift and robust action in response to the recent devastating earthquake in our sister CARICOM state of the Republic of Haiti, and following on the heels of a direct telephone conversation last Saturday between his Excellency President Irfaan Ali and the newly-appointed Haitian Prime Minister, the Honorable Dr. Ariel Henry, the Office of the Prime Minister today established a humanitarian account with Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, in the name of the Civil Defense Commission.
“The OPM will be working closely with our civil society, private sector, and other partners to quickly raise funds for a coordinate, substantial relief response for the affected people of Haiti.
“Guyana’s resolve to stand in solidarity in good and bad times with our CARICOM brothers and sisters across the region remains steadfast. As we have done in the past, we will combine energies and resources to meet with latest humanitarian challenge to bring comfort and relief to our Hatian brothers and sisters as quickly as possible.
“We ask that Guyanese in the diaspora join our efforts to provide substantial relief through or collective response.”
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