World leaders promise help for Haiti
January 14, 2010
Haiti is in desperate need of aid following an earthquake that has devastated the country. The already fragile infrastructure of one of the world’s poorest countries has been destroyed. Communication systems are down, medical supplies are scarce and there are worries over the availability of fresh water and food. Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince has been all but flattened and the streets are now lined with the bodies of the disaster’s victims. Countries around the world have been quick to pledge their support but will have to get supplies, equipment and personnel to Haiti as quickly as possible if famine and the spread of disease are to be averted.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged to do everything he can to support Haitian rescue efforts and has said that funds will be made available to help the country rebuild itself. Last night rescue specialists along with search dogs and rescue equipment flew out of Gatwick Airport. In America President Obama has pledged an all out rescue effort.
At present the number of those killed in the tragedy is difficult to estimate. Haiti’s prime minister, Jean-Max Bellerive has mentioned 100,000 whereas the country’s president Rene Garcia Preval has said that the figure is possibly closer to 50,000. One other official has even suggested half a million. Whatever the figure there is no doubt that Haiti is suffering a disaster of titanic proportions and is likely to go on suffering for some time as it people try desperately to come to terms with what has happened.
Related Posts
Comments
Advertisement
