Big earthquake in Haiti ( Mod warning post #13 and OP )

13-01-2010 12:45AM #1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8455629.stm

Haiti rocked by powerful 7.3 earthquake
A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Haiti, rocking the capital and sparking a tsunami alert for neighbouring states.
The tremor hit at 1653 (2153 GMT), about 15km (10m) south-west of Port-au-Prince, the US Geological Survey said.
Haiti's envoy to the US said it was a "catastrophe of major proportions" as reports from the capital spoke of casualties and damage.

Kinda puts the "snow crisis" into perspective!

Edit: The situation will appear much worse as news filters out! But for those there the situation is already desperate.

MOD WARNING:

Sharpshooter wrote: »

Thousands dead, thousands more feared buried in the rubble so keep it nice please.

Danbo! · 13-01-2010 12:49AM

<SNIP>

Saw death toll, my bad

The Saint · 13-01-2010 12:50AM

Witht the amount of crap that poor little country has had to put up with you'd think it was cursed.

Deleted User wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8455629.stm

Kinda puts the "snow crisis" into perspective!

The_Kew_Tour · 13-01-2010 12:57AM

I spent two weeks there and the people there are some the nicest people I have ever met for what they have they just get on with life.

Christ they have went through so much.

As OP says makes snow crisis seem like a gust of wind compared to it.

Kristopherus · 13-01-2010 01:42AM

Stee wrote: »

Hait that!!

/leaves without coat

Cop on, there are reports of thousands dead.

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 01:48AM

Jesus. Does that poor place ever get a rest?

Coriolanus · 13-01-2010 01:53AM

Poor bastards.

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 01:53AM

Just watching Sky News and they're saying that the main hospital in Port-au-Prince has collapsed.

I can't begin to imagine what they're all going through.

R.I.P to those deceased.

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 01:55AM

I've been hearing 7.0 +

Overheal · 13-01-2010 01:57AM

That_Guy wrote: »

I've been hearing 7.0 +

Yea I heard 5.9 on the TV. 7.0 seems the convention however.

TripleAce · 13-01-2010 01:57AM

Feck! I am going to Dominican Republic in 3 weeks!

Sharpshooter · 13-01-2010 01:59AM

Thousands dead, thousands more feared buried in the rubble so keep it nice please.

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 02:02AM

Overheal wrote: »

Yea I heard 5.9 on the TV. 7.0 seems the convention however.

5.9 was the aftershock.

Harpy · 13-01-2010 02:03AM

Overheal wrote: »

Yea I heard 5.9 on the TV. 7.0 seems the convention however.

i think the aftershocks were 5.9...

FouxDaFaFa · 13-01-2010 02:03AM

Christ. Just watching the news now. The poor people, it's just horrific. I really hope there is help for them soon.

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 02:04AM

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

Christ. Just watching the news now. The poor people, it's just horrific. I really hope there is help for them soon.

I really it's immediate and adequate.

They'll need a lot of water and IV's I'd imagine.

Sharpshooter · 13-01-2010 02:04AM

The Presidential Palace has collapsed and the hospital.

13-01-2010 02:05AM

Haiti is one of those places that had a poor health service at the best of times, a disaster like this will streach it well beyond breaking point.
Another thing is that in poorer countries, buildings are erected much cheaper and are more likely to fall down in a small earthquake, this is a large quake that appears to have hit a centre of population.

mmmmmmm....... · 13-01-2010 02:05AM

a population of 3 million people and only 1000 hospital beds..........and one of the hospitals has collapsed.......

CrazyRabbit · 13-01-2010 02:06AM

RTE Website - News page - http://www.rte.ie/news/

Top story - Govt appeal to conserve water supplies
2nd billing - Campbell defends 2002 dossier on Iraq
3rd billing - Heavy rain, snow falls causing problems

Then, and only then do they get to the real most important and devastating news...this huge earthquake in Haiti that has completely destroyed the island and left possibly thousands dead.

The RTE news team should be ashamed of themselves. Apparently conserving water in Ireland, some bad weather and a story about another country's politician is bigger news...

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 02:07AM

All communcation seems to be down too so no calls can come in or out. My heart really goes out to these people.

CrazyRabbit · 13-01-2010 02:08AM

What makes this earthquake particularly damaging is that the epicenter was actually on (under) the island. Most times, the epicenter is well away from major population areas.

RIP to all that have died.

AJ STYLES · 13-01-2010 02:08AM

i feel we have a connection with rest of humanity, they are truely our brothers and sisters. go on youtube/google and write down pale blue dot, it shows how insignificant earth is and how we're all here, all 6(and rising thankyou china) billion of us on our home called earth. seriously so so sad.

13-01-2010 02:10AM

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

RTE Website - News page - http://www.rte.ie/news/

Top story - Govt appeal to conserve water supplies
2nd billing - Campbell defends 2002 dossier on Iraq
3rd billing - Heavy rain, snow falls causing problems

Then, and only then do they get to the real most important and devastating news...this huge earthquake in Haiti that has completely destroyed the island and left possibly thousands dead.

The RTE news team should be ashamed of themselves. Apparently conserving water in Ireland, some bad weather and a story about another country's politician is bigger news...

Top story on the BBC site, but when was the rte site last updated, I find that they seem to stop updating the site overnight.

Edit: RTE site last updated @23:03 Perhaps they are not a 24/7 operation.

cooker3 · 13-01-2010 02:12AM

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

RTE Website - News page - http://www.rte.ie/news/

Top story - Govt appeal to conserve water supplies
2nd billing - Campbell defends 2002 dossier on Iraq
3rd billing - Heavy rain, snow falls causing problems

Then, and only then do they get to the real most important and devastating news...this huge earthquake in Haiti that has completely destroyed the island and left possibly thousands dead.

The RTE news team should be ashamed of themselves. Apparently conserving water in Ireland, some bad weather and a story about another country's politician is bigger news...

Pretty certain site is not updated overnight.

This looks pretty terrible. Poor guys, hope for the best.

Coriolanus · 13-01-2010 02:14AM

Overheal wrote: »

What Really grinds my gears about this, is President Obama came out same day and Pledged Support to the Haitian People.... it took him 5 ****ing Days to provide any response to the American People after the Fruit of Kaboom terrorist incident over christmas.

Incident where 0 died = 5 day later response from possibly the busiest man in the world.
Incident where 1000s are dead, more dying and an impending food/shelter/disease disaster is about to emerge = Same day response.

Also factor in the fact that an immediate response over Christmas would have lended nothing concrete to the situation. An immediate response here by the US President is immeasureably valuable in mobilising a world humanitarian response.

I'd say he has his priorities straight.

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 02:14AM

Hopefully Jamaica and Cuba can offer a bit of aid before the US come in.

Mr Yellow · 13-01-2010 02:17AM

RIP - may their souls rest in peace. A beautiful people & place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4OeGbeiYuU

That_Guy · 13-01-2010 02:22AM

I really don't like how Sky News are handling this story. The way the news reader is asking her questions, it seems that she's actually glad this has happened and is sensationalising it.

Asking stupid questions like:

How bad is this for Haiti?

Is the damage catastrophic?

It's annoying. Fair enough, Sky News is the only 24 hour news channel that most of us have but surely they can let the sensationalist sh*t go for something like this.

Hande hoche! · 13-01-2010 02:22AM

Watching photos of port-au-prince on the news now, it's horrific. Hopefully aid will get there sooner rather than later.

13-01-2010 02:23AM

That_Guy wrote: »

Hopefully Jamaica and Cuba can offer a bit of aid before the US come in.

The best Cuba can do is to airlift out some of the injured, they have the best medical facitities in the region, treating the injured (there will be many) is the first priority.

Big earthquake in Haiti ( Mod warning post #13 and OP )

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