Catastrophic Earthquake Rocks Haiti

A magnitude 7.0 quake has struck about 15 kilometres southwest of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. A magnitude 5.9 aftershock followed soon after, followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock closer to the location of the first quake.

Haiti’s ambassador to the United States, Raymond Joseph, has been quoted as saying it is a catastrophe of major proportions.

The tsunami watch that was posted for Haiti and parts of Cuba, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, has now been cancelled.

I visited Haiti in April 2008 at the time when there were riots in the streets over skyrocketing food prices. We travelled a rather scary journey to the airport to leave the country when the riots escalated. Roads were blocked everywhere and we’d already seen the damage that the rioters could cause. Thankfully we were able to get an armed police escort for the last part of our journey. As our plane took to the air I felt relief for myself and the group with which I was travelling, but my heart sank for those left behind in the poorest nation in the Americas.

Many of the buildings there are less than safe to begin with so an earthquake of this magnitude will have devastating effects. There’s a report already of a hospital collapsing.

I was there with Compassion Australia to see the work they are doing in Haiti. I’m now wondering if the staff of Compassion Haiti are safe. I’m wondering about the projects they serve. I’m praying for Collens, our Compassion child in Haiti.

Can you please spare some time right now to pray for the people of Haiti?

You can stay up to date with further developments through CNN.



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He previously worked in radio for about 25 years but these days he spends his time at Compassion Australia, working towards releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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2 Comments

  • I am living far far away from Haiti, I have never faced any natural disaster. But I can feel what pathetic it is when one loss thy relatives and all sorts of wealth.
    .-= DrKeithCurrie´s last blog ..Chiropractic Marketing =-.

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