Breaking News: 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti

[Admiral Yi]

That's all I got.

[Sahib]

God really hates Haiti

[Caliga]

So many of the people in the city here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this could work out very well for them.

[jimmy olsen]

Yikes, if the Presidential Palace and most government buildings and churches collapsed, than I don't have much hope for the average tin shack. The casualties must be massive.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6985798.ece

Foreign Staff
From The Times
January 13, 2010
Thousands feared dead as huge earthquake destroys Haiti presidential palace

Thousands of people were feared dead after a powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 rocked the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti last night, toppling buildings and causing widespread damage and panic.

Haitian television reported that the presidential palace, many government buildings and a cathedral, along with roads and bridges, lay in ruins.

Communications were widely disrupted, making it impossible to get a clear picture of the damage as violent aftershocks shook the country, where many buildings are flimsy. Electricity was lost in some places.

Karel Zelenka, a Catholic Relief Services representative in the capital, Port-au-Prince, told American colleagues before the phone line went dead that "there must be thousands of people dead".

Sara Fajardo, a spokeswoman for the aid group, based in Maryland, said: "He reported that it was just total disaster and chaos, that there were clouds of dust surrounding Port-au-Prince."

A tsunami alert for the Caribbean region was issued immediately after the earthquake struck at 9.53pm GMT. Minutes after the initial tremor, there were two aftershocks, measuring 5.9 and 5.5.

"I think it's really a catastrophe of major proportions," said Raymond Joseph, Haitian Ambassador to the United States. The US Geological Survey said that the epicentre of the earthquake was 16km (10 miles) from Port-au-Prince, which has a population of 2.5 million.

Joseph Delva, a reporter in Pétionville, an affluent suburb, said that one three-storey building was toppled and a tractor was at the scene trying to dig out victims.

"Everything started shaking, people were screaming, houses started collapsing . . . it's total chaos," he said.

Tom Jordan, an earthquake expert at the University of Southern California, said that the earthquake's size and proximity to the capital had probably caused widespread casualties. "It's going to be a real killer," he said.

Henry Bahn, a US Department of Agriculture official visiting Port-au-Prince, said that he was walking to his hotel room when the ground began to shake.

"I just held on and bounced across the wall," he said. "I just heard a tremendous amount of noise and shouting and screaming in the distance. The sky is just grey with dust."

Mr Bahn said there were rocks strewn about and he saw a ravine where several homes had stood: "It's just full of collapsed walls and rubble and barbed wire."

In Thomassin, just outside Port-au-Prince, Alain Denis said that neighbours had told him that the only road to the capital had been cut and that the phones were all dead.

President Obama said the United States stood ready to help.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by this earthquake," he said. "We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti."

[Slargos]

Since I have recently pledged to have a more sunny disposition, and not laugh at the misfortune of others, there is really not much to comment on here.

Seems like a good opportunity for a construction industry in need of work.

[CountDeMoney]

Swell, more Haitians washing up on Floridian shores.

[katmai]

Swell, more Haitians washing up on Floridian shores.

What are you worried about you'll retire and stay in Maryland.

[Tamas]

we need to stop global warming

[CountDeMoney]

Swell, more Haitians washing up on Floridian shores.

What are you worried about you'll retire and stay in Maryland.

Too hot.  Try Vermont.

[Caliga]

Too hot.  Try Vermont.

Dude, no.  Old people are cold all the time.

[jimmy olsen]

Looks like the bodies of the dead and injured are just stacked up in the street. It's hard to tell the scale of the damage because I haven't seen an aerial view (airports control tower was damaged), but I wouldn't be surprised if the deaths toped 10k in this one.

[DisturbedPervert]

Now would be a good opportunity to put up some mass apartment blocks over the ruined shanty towns.

[Grey Fox]

Swell, more Haitians washing up on Floridian shores.

They all come here.

[Josquius]

Oh, it was Haiti, all I saw was an earthquake somewhere on the news and was worried it might have been a real country which matters.
So.
err...
What more is there to say. Earthquakes bad.

[derspiess]

Saw the headline "Port au Prince Destroyed" & my first thought was-- how would you know?