Three Million Affected by Haiti Quake: Red Cross

[tekisui]

Source: CTV News

The Red Cross believes as many as three million Haitians have been affected by the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince Tuesday, flattening buildings and leaving thousands homeless in its aftermath.

Injured Haitians sat on the city's darkened streets Wednesday, pleading for help, while untold numbers of people remained trapped within tons of rubble that piled up the day before. Clouds of dust thrown up by falling buildings choked the capital city for hours.

International Red Cross spokesperson Paul Conneally said an estimated three million people may have been affected by the quake, though it will take a day or two for a clear picture of the damage to emerge.

It was believed to be the strongest earthquake to hit the country in more than two centuries. U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Kristin Marano called it the strongest earthquake since 1770 in the area that is now Haiti.

The ornate National Palace and the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission were among the hundreds of buildings destroyed in the chaos.

Some 9,000 UN peacekeepers have been in Haiti since a 2004 rebellion ousted the president. As of Wednesday morning, at least 1,266 Brazilian peacekeepers were missing in Haiti, that country's foreign ministry said.

more: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100113/haiti_earthquake_100113/20100113?hub=World

[malaise]

1. They're right

To understand the scale of devastation in the city, there are more people in Port-au-Prince than the total population of Jamaica - 2.8m.

[tekisui]

2. 2.8million---That is Chicago.

I dread today's news.

[malaise]

4. So do I

:cry:

[cali]

3. omg. 1266 Brazilian peacekeepers missing. mind boggling.