Haiti terremoto

2010 Haiti earthquake

The 2010 Haitian earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake. Its epicentre was near Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 at a depth of 13 km (8.1 miles). The United States Geological Survey recorded a series of at least 33aftershocks, 14 of which were between magnitudes 5.0 and 5.9.The International Red Cross estimated that about three million people were affected by the quake; the Haitian Interior Minister, Paul Antoine Bien-Aimé, anticipated on 15 January that the disaster would eventually claim between 100,000 and 200,000 lives.
The earthquake caused major damage to Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and other settlements inthe region. Many notable landmark buildings were significantly damaged or destroyed, including the Presidential Palace (President René Préval, who was in the building at the time, escaped injury), the National Assembly building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and the main jail. Among those killed were the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, Justice Minister Paul Denis andopposition leader Michel Gaillard.The headquarters of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), located in the capital, collapsed, killing many, including the Mission's Chief, Hédi Annabi
Many countries responded to appeals for humanitarian aid, pledging funds and dispatching rescue and medical teams, engineers and support personnel. Communication systems, air, land, and seatransport facilities, hospitals, and electrical networks had been damaged by the earthquake, which hampered rescue and aid efforts; confusion over who was in charge, air traffic congestion, and problems with prioritisation of flights further complicated early relief work. Port-au-Prince's morgues were quickly overwhelmed; the Haitian government announced on 21 January that over 80,000 bodies had beenburied in mass graves As rescues tailed off, supplies, medical care and sanitation became priorities. Delays in aid distribution led to angry appeals from aid workers and survivors, and some looting and sporadic violence was observed.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- French rescue workers pulled a 24-year-old man alive from the rubble of a hotel in Haiti on Saturday, 11 days after an earthquakedevastated much of the country.
Wismond Jean-Pierre, who had no visible injuries but was severely dehydrated, was immediately loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital for treatment.
Lt. Col. Christophe Renou, a rescuer with the French team, called the three-hour effort "a miracle" as he was briefly overcome with emotion. Other members of the team -- assisted by American and Greek workers --were seen weeping with joy following the rescue.
"This is God," Frank Louvier, the chief of the French rescue team, said as he pointed to the sky.
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The man's brothers said they reported hearing tapping from within the ruins of the Hotel Napoli Inn for several days but struggled to get authorities to the scene. A Greek journalist said he alerted Greek rescueworkers after hearing the tapping for himself.
Jean-Pierre was a clerk at a store in the hotel. After the building collapsed, he searched in the dark and found some soda that sustained him, his brother said. His rescuers told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that cookies and beer were also found in the pocket after Jean-Pierre was rescued.
In video shot by French Civil Protection, Jean-Pierre is seenwriggling out of an opening in the rubble no wider than his shoulders, a big smile on his face as he sees his rescuers for the first time.
Renou said Jean-Pierre was found in a pocket in the rubble and was able to move all of his extremities. A doctor who examined him said Jean-Pierre was protected by a desk.
Renou said Jean-Pierre did not say much when he was pulled out but indicated that there...