The Haitian calamity

UN chief in Haiti, Tunisian Hedi Annabi, lost his life during the Tuesday’s earthquake from the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, UN president Ban Ki-Moon conformed on Sunday, quoted by AFP. The UN chief of mission’s death was announced first on Wednesday evening, but the UN did not confirm it before his body was found.

Hedi Annabi’s Deputy Carlos da Costa and UN Police in Haiti Doug Coates have also been found dead. Hedi Annabi had been chief of mission in Haiti since September 2007. Born in 1944, he had been working for the UN since 1981. At the time of the earthquake, he was taking part at a reunion with his main co-workers and a delegation of Chinese police at the Christopher hotel in Port-au-Prince. The building was badly affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

Tens of thousands of persons have lost their life and thousands have been hurt during the tragic seismic event considered „a major disaster” for the Caribbean island. Rescue teams from various countries are currently helping with the search and rescue operations.

An 11-year old girl was rescued by the intervention teams after having spent 36 hours under a building’s ruins in Port-au-Prince. The rescued teams did not benefit of proper equipment and many used their bare hands to get her out. CNN announced on Saturday that she has died. According to her family, she passed away an hour after she was rescued. „Mother, don’t let me die” were her last words, her uncle said. She died on her way to the hospital.

The news of her death came in the same day when rescue teems saved an 18-months old baby girl from ruins. A specially trained dog belonging to a Californian rescue team discovered other three girls under the ruins of a four-storey building.

Two Dominican Republic citizens, humanitarian organisation staff, were shot in Haiti, WNBC informs. The two were attacked while taking part in the efforts of helping the earthquake survivors. Witnesses say one of the Dominicans was shot by the Haitians he was trying to help. A civilian was also caught in the shooting that occurred while food was being distributed to help the Haitians.

The two Dominicans, Carlos Gatas and Milton Matos, managed to drag their own bodies to the door of their Port-au-Prince embassy, from where they were whisked to hospital. Their current state is critical. Apparently, there have been tensions in the past between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Dominican officials expect thousands of Haitian refugees to seek asylum in the Dominican Republic.

Television channel ABC reported that several collapsed buildings, but also stores and governmental sites in Port-au-Prince have been vandalised. People stole clothing, kitchen tableware, food and water. International news agencies say armed groups are out on the streets, fighting for food. Plus, thousands of prisoners have fled jails.

Many have declared to not have received any aid and local authorities seem to be overwhelmed by the situation. UN „Blue helmets” patrol the streets in Port-au-Prince. UN soldiers will be receive support from 10,000 American troops sent to Haiti. Haitian Police had to resort to shot gun fires on Sunday morning to disperse a group of people robbing a market. A man was killed.

AFP says 43 international search and rescue missions are currently in Haiti, made up by 1,739 people and 161 dogs. They have searched 60% of the affected areas.

The seismic event claimed 50,000 lives, the World Health Organisation announced. Scientists warn that Haiti and neighbouring countries must prepare for other major earthquakes. Another high risk area is North Haiti and in the Dominican Republic. The pressure accumulated within the past 800 years is sufficient to cause a 7.5 magnitude seismic event, researcher Paul Mann from the Institute for Geophysics at the University of Texas declared.