Devastation in Haiti
EmailOur thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti this morning.
The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the island nation yesterday has devastated the country and left thousands homeless.
We don’t yet know the full extent of the devastation. What we do know is that several buildings, including the United Nations office, the presidential palace and the air traffic control tower collapsed. Flights are not able to easily get in and out.
This morning, I spoke to Haiti’s ambassador to the U.S., Raymond Joseph, who said the country will “face a disaster of major proportions.” He said there is no way of estimating the number of casualties.
The U.S. government has mobilized relief efforts and President Obama is expected to make remarks this morning about Haiti.
Joseph said what the country would need most, in addition to basic supplies such as food, water, blankets, clothes, is a hospital ship off of the coast off. It “is a must for us now,” he said.
We also showed photos of the devastation on Good Morning America.
For those and my full interview with Ambassador Joseph, watch my GMA segment:
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While sending aid is a positive, we should not give Haiti the impression that they should not be doing all they can do, themselves, to deal with the disaster.
We all need to be mindful of the lessons learned in New Orleans……that local and regional government, must take the lead, in dealing with disasters.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | January 13, 2010, 11:11 am 11:11 am
As much as Haiti needs help…,isn’t this profiling? Haiti is mainly Black. ABC liberal media, is this part of the Liberal Democratic Agenda? Also,, don’t they have Christians in Haiti? The Obama people tell us that Christians are the # 1 problem group in the USA, not Terrorist?
Obama reacted to this disaster quicker than any terror event. Is this considered a man made or Godly disaster?
Posted by: Terry Crawford | January 13, 2010, 11:42 am 11:42 am
Gee, add insult to injury. As if life in Haiti (poverty, corruption, coups, HIV-AIDS, voodoo cults, female exploitation, etc) wasn’t bad enough they get hit with a natural disaster. They certainly need our prayers and aid, indeed. How about stop giving money/troops/aide/wars to countries not in our hemisphere and take care of those countries close to the USA that actually impact the USA (Haiti, Mexico, Central America, etc)? It is those countries that impact the USA more than Isreal, MiddleEast, Africa. It is the unstable and bad conditions in countries closer to home that cause us to have illegal aliens, drugs, human rights abuses, AIDS, disease epidemics, etc.
Posted by: Ed | January 13, 2010, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
While it is fine to send aid to Haiti, I will be most offended if the President calls for “relief” to the tune of billions in US dollars.
He needs to get the message, that he has already overspent, big time, and he needs to start getting his purse strings in order.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | January 13, 2010, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
Yvenson Bernard, former OSU running back and a native of Haiti, has reached out to former colleagues and friends to gather donations for his home country. Bernard, who plans to travel to Haiti in two weeks and bring donations to the earthquake ravaged country, wrote the following e-mail to request support:
Hello everyone,
As you have heard Haiti had a catastrophic earthquake this week. My family and I are from Haiti and much of my family is still living there now so I am starting a Haiti Relief Fundraiser. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, so relief is absolutely needed for survival!
We are accepting new hygiene products, all types of new and used clothing and shoes, as well as money donations. I am traveling to Haiti in two weeks to respond to this tragedy. All proceeds go to Haiti Relief! Any help would be appreciated! Thank you SO much and God Bless.
Posted by: michelle | January 13, 2010, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
Are we as a society losing our minds? I mean I believe in God but really… I hate and hate is a strong word but want to vomit when I hear other faith believer’s saying crazy stuff that advances people’s negative thought’s on religion. We as a society need a God to keep us sane and grounded with morals to keep us human. I pray for the people in Haiti and their family’s and other places in the world that are not as fortunate as us here in the U.S. May the lord touch on the hearts of the people in our world to help in anyway it might seem necessary, God bless you.
Posted by: Emily | January 14, 2010, 9:26 am 9:26 am
Leave it up to GMA to slam a Christian
organization that will be in Haiti long
after the ABC news media pulls up their
tent to cover an Obama speech. How is
the main stream media going to help
financially LONG TERM to help the Haiti
people. They won’t!!! Because it won’t be news in weeks to come!!!
Posted by: Dan LeRoy | January 14, 2010, 9:32 am 9:32 am
Pat Robertson’s comments were presumptuous and false. Jesus Christ suffered while innocent, and this should cause anyone to pause before assuming that tragedy is related to guilt. The arrogance continues in the aftermath of those unfortunate words; Keith Olbermann shared his own arrogant rant, as if someone who makes a living peddling mockery and smart-alecky, collegiate humor has anything valuable to say right now. Both of them value their own words far too much . . .
Posted by: bill crew | January 14, 2010, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
HOW DO THE NEW REPORTERS GET INTO THE AREAS THAT NEED HELP AND THE WATER DOESN’T???
Posted by: TFE | January 14, 2010, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
Pat Robertson was simply talking about something that happened in the history of Haiti, which has been documented. He did not say the earthquake happened because God cursed them but that Haiti seems to be under a curse since so many calamities have happened since they made such a pact.If you know anything about withcraft you know that the people who subject themselves to it are tormented by all kinds of trajedies. When you choose to serve pagan gods (satan if you will) God will take his protection of you and let you have what you wanted.Everyone is in such an uproar because they do not want to recognize that there is such a thing as Evil,they want to pretend that what the people of Haiti have been practicing is folklore.It is Witchcraft and what they are in effect saying to God is we don’t want you and your rules. We will not follow you.That is the truth of it. That does not mean that Pat Robertson, myself or other Christians do not have compassion for Haitians or any person that does not know God. As a matter of Fact I would like to see ABC or any other station do a report on how Operation Blessing(CBN organization)was already working in Haiti before the earthquake doing work no one else will do and bringing in 2 million dollars worth of Medicine. That is true Christianity. Look at all the millions of people Pat Robertson’s Organization has helped, before any calamities happen, instead of taking words out of context. Let me tell you that Operation Blessing will be in Haiti long after all you self righteous critics leave.My prayer is that the People of Haiti will turn to the one true God for help.
Posted by: Nilda Rositano | January 14, 2010, 9:21 pm 9:21 pm
George, Please tell Walmart, JC Penny’s, Sears&the rest of those big department stores that is time for them to quit shredding unsold clothing&throwing away perfectly good food&send it to those in need in Haiti.
Posted by: Mary | January 14, 2010, 9:32 pm 9:32 pm
George,
I like many other Americans have been following the stories on the tragedy in Haiti.
Watching Diane this evening tearfully reporting about the lack of water, basic tools for the Haitians to try and rescue trapped people, medicine and the inability of members of the 82nd Airborne to land to assist in the relief effort brought to mind one very large and important question.
If so many reporters, camera crews, sound crews and electronic equipment have managed to enter Haiti to do the reporting – couldn’t that space and weight have been better spent transporting the basic needs to the people rather than each news network having not one or two reporters but entire teams on the ground.
It just doesn’t make sense to have people and equipment that does nothing for the people arrive when the basic supplies of life can’t get into the country.
Dave W
Posted by: Dave Wardrup | January 14, 2010, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm
Your reporters have obviously never been to Haiti, because if they had before this earthquake, they would know there is always a stench. Their sewage normally runs in open ditches on each side of the street and raw sewage has a stench. I am sure the stench is greater with all of the death around, but to act as though this is like being in a place that has normal hygiene, is miss leading. The government is corrupt, (maybe less so than in the past) many of the people are uneducated, can not read, and do not have jobs. It is not uncommon for gangs and criminals to loot anything that is not tied down.
With our debt how can we provide $100,000,000 dollars in aid? That is like a relative using credit cards to purchase expensive gifts for family members and then struggling to pay the bill. This is a killer for the, American people.
Posted by: Elise S | January 15, 2010, 7:49 am 7:49 am
Let us make certain that we help the Hatians without hurting ourselves. There is talk about immigration doors opening…this is not an option. The Hatians need help from those who hurt them the most, including France, Britain, and Spain, and Dominican Republic. These nations need to do a lot more for Haiti than they have done, I think.
Posted by: Howdy | January 16, 2010, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
Haiti has always been a disaster. This is nothing new, and no amount of money, will change that.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | January 19, 2010, 10:43 am 10:43 am
Until the legal killing of defenceless children in the womb (abortion) ceases in the world the wrath of God will continue to rain down on the people of the world. How long can we go on insulting Him. God only forgives those who repent.
Posted by: john murphy | January 19, 2010, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm
George,
Is there any news on the pharmaceutical companies that have pledge there help in Haiti?
Posted by: S. Kimble-Gant | January 20, 2010, 9:49 am 9:49 am
If you can still recite your ABCs and you are aware that the names of Atlantic Ocean tropical storms and hurricanes come from alphabetized lists created by the National Hurricane Center, you don’t have to read any articles, hear any stories, or see any images to know that our island neighbor Haiti is in a world of hurt after being struck by Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike.
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