by
Barbara Kram, Editor | January 14, 2010
Contribute to relief
Image courtesy of
U.S. Geological Survey
The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti this week has left the country in chaos according to eyewitnesses on the ground. The death toll estimates range in the hundreds of thousands, with survivors facing a bleak future in what was already the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.
A health care crisis is imminent in the aftershocks of the initial earthquake, which struck near the heart of the nation's capital of about 3 million people Tuesday at 4:53 p.m. Eastern time. Dozens of aftershocks continue, many very significant, concentrated west of Port-au-Prince.
Hospitals have collapsed and thousands of essential aid workers are reported missing, several outlets report. Based on the magnitude of the quakes, a severe health and humanitarian emergency is unfolding.
Haiti President Rene Preval told CNN that the nation cannot hospitalize quake victims. He has requested medical assistance in particular.
How You Can Help Now
You can help immediately with relief efforts. Those who want to help are being asked to donate money, not goods, as the needs of victims can be best met by local relief volunteers.
To quickly and easily make a contribution by text message, text "HAITI" to "90999" and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross, charged to your cell phone bill. (You will need to acknowledge a confirmation.) The State Department suggests this mode of giving.
You can also contact the
Red Cross directly.
Another trusted organizational effort is under the auspices of InterAction. Get guidelines on how to help and links to partner charities:
http://www.interaction.org/crisis-list/earthquake-haiti
Offers of goods and services as well as donations can also go to the
Center for International Disaster Information. Visit:
http://www.cidi.org/incident/haiti-10a
DOTmed is currently relying on mass media for the latest reports, and we are reaching out to our users in the country for eyewitness accounts, although we do not know if that will be possible.
If you are a DOTmed user or have reports from Haiti, please add your comments or observations below or send them to feedback@dotmed.com
