Haiti earthquake shocks world.

Three days ago the Republic of Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere, was rocked by a fierce and devastating earthquake. The first tremor measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck at 21:53 GMT south of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince causing untold amounts of damage. Shortly afterwards two aftershocks measuring 5.9 and 5.5 hit the island causing further damage throughout the city. Several of Haiti’s most important buildings, including the presidential palace and UN headquarters, were destroyed by the quake; reports coming in from the country suggest that over 200 UN personnel are still missing.

The world’s response was virtually immediate, within a matter of hours international institutions began to organise and collect donations for the Haiti earthquake appeal. In the UK, the magnitude of the disaster in Haiti and the increasing number of fraudulent appeal websites being set up led to the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) taking control over the Haitian fundraising campaign. The DEC comprises of 13 UK based charities and a number of public and corporate companies, including a variety of media and broadcasting outlets. In times of great natural disaster the DEC is tasked with uniting and coordinating Britain’s fundraising efforts in a way that will help maximize funds and ensuring that they are spent in an ‘effective and fully accountable way’.

A number of international organizations are already on the ground and relief efforts throughout the island began almost immediately. Despite the valiant work of hundreds of volunteers, the Red Cross estimates that over 3 million remain injured and homeless, and nearly 50,000 people were killed in the Haiti earthquake. President Obama has pledged $100m in aid as well as a contingent of 2,000 US Marines and a further 3,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to help with the relief efforts. Over 300 medical personnel are also being sent to Haiti, in a speech in Washington President Obama stated that “every element of our national capacity, our diplomacy, and development assistance, the power of our military and most importantly, the compassion of our country will be used to aid the relief efforts – To the people of Haiti, we say clearly and with conviction, you will not be forsaken, you will not be forgotten.”

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