Extra U.S. forces deployed to Haiti as earthquake loss of life toll tops 2,000
Haiti confronted one other grim day on Wednesday as search and rescue groups discovered extra our bodies within the rubble, bringing the loss of life toll to greater than 2,000 individuals. Rescue and restoration efforts have been slowed by Tropical Storm Grace, and have been hampered by the truth that the earthquake destroyed roads resulting in a number of the hardest-hit areas.
Not less than 2,189 individuals have died, 12,268 have been hospitalized with accidents, and 332 are nonetheless lacking, the Haiti Workplace of Civil Safety tweeted late Wednesday. Jerry Chandler, the top of Haiti’s Civil Safety Company, informed Reuters that at the very least 600,000 individuals are in want of humanitarian help, and 135,000 households are displaced.
“Haiti is now on its knees,” Prime Minister Ariel Henry mentioned in a Wednesday video deal with, based on Reuters. “The earthquake that devastated a big a part of the south of the nation proves as soon as once more our limits, and the way fragile we’re.”
Extra U.S. forces have now been deployed to the nation — the Navy warship USS Arlington, which carries greater than 600 navy personnel, will arrive Friday.
“It is a closely broken space and I believe the necessity goes to be nice,” mentioned Lieutenant Colonel Cory Murtaugh of the Marine Corps.
CBS Information visited a hospital in Les Cayes, a metropolis very near the epicenter of the quake, and noticed the U.S. Coast Guard bringing 1000’s of kilos of provides. The Coast Guard has additionally rescued dozens of injured individuals.
“Now we have all types of rescue gear,” one Coast Guard rescue employee mentioned. “Now we have over 80 rescuers on this space.”
However desperation is rising as lots of the hospitals are overwhelmed, forcing some sufferers to be handled exterior — together with a girl and her new child baby. A younger boy with a damaged leg was fortunate to get a mattress on the Hôpital OFATMA des Cayes.
“I’m doing okay,” the boy mentioned.
CBS Information traveled Wednesday with World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian group that ready 1000’s of meals and delivered them to individuals who have not eaten in days.
“We all know that they’re actually hungry,” one employee mentioned. “They misplaced their homes, they misplaced every thing. So for certain an important factor for them proper now could be to eat to remain alive.”
