Haiti

[Darth Biscuit]

6.5 in California the other day. Makes you wonder if another is coming soon.

Could be... strong quakes often affect other faults around the planet.

[Happy Panther]

They are... heard it this morning on GMA... the USS Carl Vincent was in transit from Norfolk to San Diego and they re-routed her to Florida to pick up a helo squadron to take to Haiti...

great

[Jangler]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE60C1GR.htm

Source: Reuters

PARIS, Jan 13 (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday he feared everyone inside the United Nations headquarters in Haiti were killed when the building was destroyed by a powerful earthquake.

"The U.N. building has collapsed and it seems that all those who were in the building, including my friend Heni Annabi who was the special envoy at the United Nations ... are dead," Kouchner told France's RTL radio.

However, he said Haiti's President Rene Preval had managed to escape his collapsing palace during the earthquake that rocked Porte-au-Prince on Tuesday.

The U.N. itself has said the people in its building were unaccounted for.

Kouchner did not specify how he had obtained the information, although he said he had spoken to France's ambassador to Haiti who reported chaos and destruction in the capital.

"Certainly I'm going to talk to President Preval, whose presidential palace also collapsed but he got out. I'm going to speak to him soon," Kouchner told RTL, according to a transcript of the interview.

The earthquake killed possibly thousands of people, as aftershocks rattled through the night and into Wednesday.

This is really gonna get bad.

[bubbadawg]

Have a neice who is there. Finally got hold of her mother last night. She is in Petionville and says it is "utter devastation"

Unfortunately, haiti was pretty much that way before. Hopefully some of this aid can bring them up to at least the 19th century

[Delhommey]

As bad as the criminal gangs were before, this could turn real nasty.

It's always bad when a major quake has an epicenter that close to a city. Even a well prepared rich nation has problems (like Kobe or San Fran).

[Delhomeboy]

As someone said previously, its lack on infastructure may have actually been a boon for it--there's a difference between cardboard shantys collapsing and skyscrapers (like the UN building) falling to the ground.

EDIT: Great way to start the new decade. Blah.

[TurnpikeMike]

Now lets send them billions of dollars in aid we dont have...I feel bad for those folks, but last week here in Florida there were kids being kept out of school because they didnt have coats...how bout we take care of our own first..

[Happy Panther]

Now lets send them billions of dollars in aid we dont have...I feel bad for those folks, but last week here in Florida there were kids being kept out of school because they didnt have coats...how bout we take care of our own first..

Millions not Billions.

We are talking basic human needs here. While I feel bad for kids in Florida without coats most of them have shelter and water and are not on the verge of dying.

[Delhommey]

Now lets send them billions of dollars in aid we dont have...I feel bad for those folks, but last week here in Florida there were kids being kept out of school because they didnt have coats...how bout we take care of our own first..

You mean there are kids in Ft Lauderdale that don't have heavy winter coats?!!!! SHAME!

[Epistaxis]

While I can certainly understand an "America First" attitude......this goes beyond politics and money and becomes an issue of humanity.

[Cat]

Don't worry about sending money guys. All my facebook friends are praying for them. God's got this.

On a serious note here is a link to a few ways you can help.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/haiti_earthquake_how_to_help_a.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

[Murph]

I never doubted that.

[TurnpikeMike]

You mean there are kids in Ft Lauderdale that don't have heavy winter coats?!!!! SHAME!

Nope,it seems they didnt..one child was sent to school wrapped in a blanket..I find that as sad as Haiti.

[Scrumtrilescent]

I never had a winter coat when I lived in Charleston, and I was well off...not having potable water is on another level.