Haiti Earthquake: Cathedral, Port and Morgue footage

United Nations, New York, 16 January 2010: A clearer picture of the massive devastation to the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince began to emerge today (15 January) three days after a massive earthquake hit the impoverished island nation.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake is said to have affected one-third of Haitis 9-million strong population. Many of the people in the hard-hit capital, Port-au-Prince, do not have access to food, water, shelter and electricity.

The destruction included the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, built between 1884 and 1914, one of the most iconic buildings in the city. The Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, was killed in the earthquake.

Else where in the city people struggled to obtain water, food and shelter while burying the death and taking care of the injured. Hampering the relief effort was major damage to citys seaport, which was practically demolished, rendering it non-operational for the time being.

UN emergency teams on the ground estimate that as many of half of the buildings in the worst-hit areas of the capital have been damaged or destroyed.

With the airports capacity also limited, roads still blocked and the lack of transport and fuel within Haiti, the logistical situation is a very difficult one.

SOUNDBITE (Creole) Jean Michelet Cadet, Local Official (Carrefour neighborhood):
"We are working with no resources. But if there were a chance that the international community could send us some help, we would be grateful."

Outside the city morgue, thousands of bodies piled up awaiting burial. Up to 100,000 people are estimated dead.

300 UN personnel are still missing or unaccounted for, with 36 military and civilian MINUSTAH personnel, as well as one staff member with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), having been confirmed to have died.

Source: UNIFEED, MINUSTAH

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Haiti
• Earthquake
• Port-au-Prince
• Cathedral
• Port
• Morgue
• footage
• United Nations
• UN
• MINUSTAH
• WFP

[erinallen1985]

What a tragedy. I mean, I've seen a lot of graphic imagery and videos on natural disasters of major cities and countries, but this is by far the worst I've ever seen. Why did some of those people just stand there and stare at the bodies for like ever? Just staring! I doubt they were admiring. Wtf?

[kev42o97]

@gunnyXII HAARP!!!!

[CarlaLOVeHaitiCreole]

oh! hmmmmm

[jose30076]

@rock9711

Catholic Relief Services has already spent millions in relief supplies and continues to bring in relief via the Dominican Republic

[TheSweetrudy]

It's terrible to see all of those dead human bodies, OMG

[rock9711]

where is the billions of dollars in donations that are sent to the catholic church??

[gunnyXII]

man all those bodies there's been way too many natural disasters recently i wonder where and who are next and by what they'll suffer. this is horrible

[TuffGong420]

That's heartbreaking. What a mess.

[DebbyNJ]

@Lurker15 I remember that rumor from when I was a kid. I'm 37 now. I hope thats never the case.

[MrsSarb]

OMG I have never in my life seen so many bodies like that. It's just so horrible. Sad, sad, sad