| Last week's massive earthquake in Haiti was one of | | | | sleep in shabby tent cities with the bodies of the |
| the most devastating natural disasters of the 21st | | | | dead lining the same streets. These conditions make |
| century. The world has not seen devastation on this | | | | the spread of several diseases much easier, |
| scale since the Asian tsunami that struck on | | | | threatening to increase the death toll in the |
| Christmas Day in 2004. As the world gathers its | | | | aftermath of the earthquake. |
| resources to help Haiti recover and rebuild they are | | | | A lack of food and fresh water will compound the |
| finding each step in the rescue process more difficult | | | | terrible living conditions and make the spread of |
| because the scale of devastation in Haiti is almost | | | | disease and death more swift and efficient. Food and |
| unprecedented. While the world has seen equally | | | | fresh water are near impossible to come by in the |
| devastating disasters so far in the 21st century, the | | | | aftermath of the earthquake. Rescue organizations |
| devastation is worse in Haiti due to the country's | | | | and aid from other countries are having a tough time |
| extreme poverty. Haiti is one of the poorest nations | | | | to getting into the country. Port-au-Prince's main port |
| in the world and is the poorest nation in the Western | | | | was so badly damaged during the earthquake it was |
| Hemisphere, conditions in the country prior to the | | | | impossible in the immediate aftermath of the |
| earthquake served to magnify the destruction and | | | | earthquake to ship in supplies of food and water. |
| make recovery even more difficult. In the aftermath | | | | Port-au-Prince's airport was also quickly overwhelmed, |
| of the quake, as thousands of aid workers and | | | | as only one runway remains serviceable to the |
| millions of dollars flood into the country to help, | | | | hundreds of planes trying to land and bring in fresh |
| rescuers must battle new problems. A lack of food, | | | | supplies. |
| fresh water, and shelter for the victims threatens to | | | | The richest nations of the world are doing all they |
| make the conditions in Haiti worse with each passing | | | | can to come to the aid of Haiti while trying to help |
| day. | | | | decrease the outbreak of disease, death, and civil |
| Haiti's status as one of the more under-developed | | | | unrest. The nations of Europe have pledged a |
| nations in the world helped amplify the effects of the | | | | combined $500 million dollars along with aid workers |
| earthquake. The Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince was | | | | being sent to the country to assist in rescue efforts. |
| full of neighborhoods of poorly built homes. A lack of | | | | The United States has sent some 10,000 troops to |
| safe building codes and proper building materials led to | | | | Haiti to assist U.N. peacekeepers already in the |
| a city full of rickety shacks housing nearly three | | | | country in maintaining order and to help coordinate |
| million inhabitants. When the quake struck, the level | | | | rescue efforts. American forces have taken control |
| of devastation in the capital city was massive. | | | | of the airport to coordinate the landing of planes |
| Everything from homes to hospitals and churches, | | | | loaded with aid workers and supplies. In addition to |
| even the Presidential palace, collapsed during the | | | | the American government's pledge of $100 million, |
| quake. The survivors not only had nowhere to seek | | | | the American public has already donated $8 million to |
| shelter in the aftermath, but they had no place to | | | | relief organizations. The world cannot rest on its |
| keep the dead. As many of the city's hospitals | | | | laurels yet, the relief effort in Haiti will be a long one |
| collapsed, the few remaining buildings that could | | | | and if it is to be successful the world must assist |
| house people dead or alive were quickly | | | | Haiti in the coming months and years, not just the |
| overwhelmed. As nations rush in to help the Haitians, | | | | next few weeks. |
| they find people living on the street. Living survivors | | | | |