Earthquake in Haiti

[Tayi]

7.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Haiti, Tsunami Alert

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CBS)--A strong earthquake has hit the impoverished country of Haiti where a hospital has collapsed and people are screaming for help. According to CNN the area is also under a Tsunami alert for the Dominican Republic...

Get the rest here: http://cbs13.com/national/earthquake.ha ... 21764.html

Please pray and call your family and friends in Haiti.

Tayi

[Tayi]

More recent information here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010 ... 791129.htm

Tayi

[Marilyn]

Horrible news! CNN is giving it full coverage.

Marilyn

[Shelony]

I am just speechless.

[Tayi]

If you are trying to reach your family on voila and digicel phones, probably won't happen. Maybe text messages might reach them but they will not be able to call you bak. Your best best is to call Haitel numbers.

Keep praying.

[jafrikayiti]

Thanks Tayi!

I have been trying landlines, digicel and voila all afternoon with no luck. The latest try, i got a voice message saying "all international lines are busy for the country your are trying to reach". That number which I was trying to reach apparently worked earlier when a U.S. based cousin was able to confirm with his sister-in-law that everyone has made it alive in our Route des dalles family house. But the area is in shambles, streets are filled with debris and it is dark. It will be a difficult evening.

Jaf

[Tayi]

I spoke to my brother earlier who was crying but then assured me my family was OK. But he added "Pòtoprens kraze, Tayi. Pòtoprens kraze!" He was gathered with a bunch of people in an open field because they were afraid of the collapsing houses.

Keep praying.

Tayi

[Barb]

"Yes, we had an earthquake and it was amazing. Lots of shaking and questioning, enthralled kids but, thankfully, no one hurt and no structures damaged. I was surprised at the magnitude... much greater than the few I had experienced in CA. Now there's a tsunami watch so say a prayer! Thanks."

This from the center in Les Cayes. There have also been several aftershocks reported on that website.

[Barb]

"earthquake news through a friend on facebook

My husband’s family lives right below the (St. Clare’s) church as does our assistant – we hope to talk to them again. I think we got through before everyone jammed the lines. Our family’s kitchen and some roof addition collapsed, and we could hear people wailing in the background….no more details yet in that area except the school (a school in the neighborhood was damaged). We have reports that all brick buildings in Petit Guave have fallen. It’s scary. We need more info!
Please post if you hear anything too. Thanks for writing and keep the prayers coming."
Jen

This is from the website for the What If Foundation which is Jean-Juste's church in Port au Prince.

[Tayi]

Thank God no damage in Cayes.
Has anyone heard from people in the Miragoane area? My mission is there in the mountains (3rd section) and there has been no word.

Tayi

[zanfanginen]

Hi fellas. It's been a longtime but I cannot help myself to write as I fear for the safety of my paternal grandma, aunt and cousins still stuck in Port-au-Prince.

[Leonel Jean-Baptiste]

No news at all!
I've tried, but no luck.
The Palace is hit really bad,based on CNN pictures...
Leonel

[Tayi]

From CNN's ireport private individual by the name DanShoe: "Very unfortunate situation in Haiti. However, the south of Haiti was not hit. Slight tremors is all. Les Cayes is fine and undamaged."

Tayi
P.S. Zanfanginen I am praying for your family.

[zanfanginen]

thanks, Tayi !

[Tayi]

Here is an update from a friend in Fond-des-Blancs:

"Just a quick note to let everyone know that we are safe and sound in Fond des Blancs. We certainly felt the earthquake but we haven't experienced the damage and loss of life that Port au Prince has. Our visitors from the Boston area were on the road here when it happened and made it safely without incident.

I'll write more in the coming days. I ask for your prayers for this beautiful country and her people. If you feel moved to support relief efforts please consider donating. There were already many hurting people here; the sufferening from this will be immeasurable."

Her blog can be found here: http://elleninhaiti.blogspot.com/

Fond-des-Blancs is about 30 minutes away from my own mission site, so I hope that means my missionaries are okay also.

Tayi

[Tayi]

Update Wed. 1/13/10 at 5:50AM

Looks like digicel phone lines are now open, but they will need phone cards. You can recharge for them at the digiel website online with a credit card.

God bless!

[jafrikayiti]

onè kanmarad,

Souple annou kontinye pataje enfomasyon.

Nou fenk aktive http://www.livestream.com/akasantv

voye enfomasyon nou jwenn sijesyon nimewo telefon pou ede moun kominike ak fanmi yo.

Rele granmoun nou genyen nan fanmi nou detanzantan eseye ba yo ti mesaj rekonfotan detanzantan.

[jafrikayiti]

kanmarad nou bezwen kout men:

Ede n idantifye radyo ak televizyon Ayisyen ki branche.

Radyo Signal FM ap fonksyone men nou pa jwenn okenn tele ki sou web la

[Aragorn]

Haiti Emergency Relief Fund
http://www.haitiaction.net/About/HERF/HERF.html

[Tayi]

Does anyone know the about the condition of the road from PAP to Miragoane? I know Cayes is not looking great.

Tayi

[Tayi]

This is from our contact in Fond-des-Blancs:
"There are some bad spots but we have clear access between here and PaP. Hope that helps!"

Tayi

[Wilnems]

Does anyone know the condition of Leogane? My father is there and I haven't heard it covered in any of the news stories.

[Barb]

This today from Les Cayes

"Some vehicle traffic has made it here from Port-au-Prince. Folks said that it was very slow going but passable. So this is good news, indeed. No large vehicles are attempting it at this time like buses or fuel trucks but this is a much improved scenario."

Father Marc also reports the hospital in Les Cayes is full of injured from Port-au-Prince and that they have no sheets, medical supplies, medicine, etc. He also said that many, many people want to go into Port-au-Prince to find family members and bring them out, so he expects a flood of refugees. Since all food supplies come through Port-au-Prince, he is quite concerned about the domino effect on the rest of the country over the next few days and weeks.

[Barb]

This is from the "Kindred Journey" webpage that collects money for Pandiasou from the US.

UPDATE at 3:20 PM: Word has now been received that apparently all of the Little Brothers and Little Sisters have miraculously survived the quake, and are now working diligently to assist their fallen countrymen.
No details yet on the condition of the schools and orphanages in Port-au-Prince that are run by the Brothers and Sisters, but of course, buildings can be replaced.


UPDATE at 1:25 PM on 1/14/10: Just received word from two different sources that Brother Francklin Armand is alive. We do not know if he is injured or not, and the reports were conflicting regarding his current location within Haiti. Still no word on Sister Emmanuelle or the other Brothers and Sisters based in Port-au-Prince.

If you are a regular user, please be aware that we are still awaiting word from Port-au-Prince regarding the status of Brother Francklin Armand, Sister Emmanuelle Victor, and the other associates of the Little Brothers and Sisters of the Incarnation that we have come to know and love through our work in Haiti. We did receive preliminary word from Pandiasou that through the grace of God there was little damage or injury in that region.

[Guysanto]

Thanks for this specific and very special news, Barb!

[Barb]

From Father Marc in Les Cayes:

Later today EdH (Electricite d'Haiti) will start rolling out rations of electricity as the fuel supply is dwindling. The plan is to provide electricity at night for security and a few hours during the day. Only one gas station is open at this time and folks are predicting super high prices.
It was very quiet when I drove through the town this morning. Many side roads are blocked with tires, carts and colorful lottery stands as people refuse to sleep in their homes and choose to sleep in the street. The hospital grounds are covered with patients who will be hungry in a few hours. We are sending food to be prepared at laMadonne for them. Met a man on the street this morning who comes from Jacmel which was hit hard by the earthquake. He was talking to himself in Kreyole, French, Spanish with a sprinkling of English. He spoke to me but I could not make out what he was saying. He abruptly turned away and walked into the darkness. Witnessing the massive destruction and loss of life can make anyone lose it.

[Barb]

This is again from Father Marc in Les Cayes. I find the remarks about MINUSTAH particularly significant and distressing.

"Sorry for neglecting you but it's been a busy day. Went to the hospital again this morning where chaos reigns. Not enough beds. No more medicine. No food for patients. Our donation of food will be profoundly appreciated.
Attended a networking meeting hosted by the United Nations. The topic today was how to mobilize our efforts in caring for the wounded coming in from PaP. It is predicted that there will be 1,500 requiring medical attention. No mention was made of the counseling that almost everyone from PaP will need after such great losses. MINUSTAH is trying to coordinate the relief plan and it is a huge challenge. People at the meeting want to rush ahead to address the needs which are great. They want to bring in private plane-loads of medicine and medical teams but MINUSTAH refused until things are better coordinated. They are asking that all medical and humanitarian supplies be sent to PaP where distribution will be done according to need. We don't want to repeat some of the glaring mistakes made after Katrina or the tsunami. The best thing that our supporters can do is raise funds so that we can purchase what we really need. Heard about American Airlines airlifting medical teams and supplies for nothing, about pharmaceutical companies donating essential meds, about thousands of volunteers coming in to PaP to continue the horrible work of extracting bodies from the rubble... It is enough to restore one's faith in humanity.
Heard this afternoon that our provincial house in PaP was destroyed and that we lost one seminarian during the quake. The Provincial leadership is being moved south: some to Les Cayes and others to Mazenod in Camp-Perrin. Our Archbishop and his advisors were all killed as the cathedral crashed down on them. The local bishop appeared dazed when we visited him this morning. He lost seven seminarians. Four badly hurt ones were awaiting treatment in the hospital yard.
Port-au-Prince has been razed. No more government offices. The decision to centralize all government activities is now regrettable. The school year is over for the country though we plan on opening our doors as soon as possible."