7.0 Earthquake Hits Haiti's Capital City Port-au-Prince

Jan. 15, 2010 - PRLog -- NEW YORK, New York The Student World Assembly is calling on its members to take action and donate to the humanitarian relief effort following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. At the time of this press release, sources on the ground have estimated the death toll to be upwards of 45,000.  At 5pm on a Tuesday evening, an earthquake with a 7.0 magnitude struck just 10 miles outside of Port-au-Prince, the densely populated capital of Haiti. SWA is urging our members to donate any amount they can to the emergency relief effort.  For ways to donate please visit the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
    Tragically, schools hospitals and hotels were some of the most effected, in most cases crumbling in the quake and leaving occupants crushed and trapped under the ruble.  In addition, the Presidential Palace and President Preval’s private residence was destroyed as well. 7,000 bodies have already been buried, but resources are scarce and the city’s morgues have reached their limit.  Startling images of bodies piling up on the side of the road have underscored the immediate and desperate need for international humanitarian aid.  Thousands have been left homeless and are camped out in the city’s overwhelmed streets waiting for the help that has been promised to arrive.
    The Caribbean nation of nine million is the poorest country in the Americas with an annual per-capita income of $560. It ranks 146th out of 177 countries on the UNDP Human Development Index (Al-Jazeera English).  Haiti was stuck by a series of severe tropical storm only a year ago that drastically reduced the already impoverished nation’s GDP for 2008. The collapse of much of the city’s physical infrastructure, including airport runways and major thoroughfares has compounded the severity of the humanitarian crisis preventing much needed aid from reaching the most desperate victims. Basic services like medical attention, food and water are lacking in the capital and the delivery of emergency provisions have been slow, creating a logistical nightmare for both emergency workers and the residents of Port-au-Prince who continue to wait for help. Monetary and humanitarian aid has been promised from The World Bank, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, multiple United Nations agencies, including the UN Food Program and numerous countries such as Venezuela, China, France, the United States, and the Dominican Republic to name a few.
    The Student World Assembly calls attention not only to the immediate humanitarian crisis that is addressing Haiti but also to the long-term devastating effects that an earthquake of this magnitude will have on the economic and social development of the tiny nation. The Caribbean nation of nine million is the poorest country in the Americas with an annual per-capita income of $560. It ranks 146th out of 177 countries on the UNDP Human Development Index (Al-Jazeera English).  Haiti was stuck by a series of severe tropical storms only a year ago that drastically reduced the already impoverished nation’s GDP for 2008. After the dust settles, a large-scale concentrated effort will need to be directed towards reconstruction and development of Haiti’s social and economic infrastructure.

# # #

The Student World Assembly is a non-governmental, non partisan organization created to represent students globally. Students around the world can exchange views, vote on global issues, and translate these views into meaningful actions with SWA's guidance.