The images on television Tuesday night were shocking, sad and heart-breaking.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near Port-Au-Prince in Haiti, toppling buildings in seconds, trapping residents in the rubble and killing thousands.
The quake was followed by as many as 30 aftershocks. The devastation and destruction are wide-spread and catastrophic. It is believed that 45,000 to 50,000, twice the population of the entire Sunshine Coast, may have died in the quake. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere with more than 80 per cent of its citizens living below the poverty line, has been levelled by this natural disaster.
World leaders are beginning to mobilize aid.
On Wednesday, the United States sent 3,500 soldiers and 300 medical personnel to assist in the recovery efforts. President Barack Obama directed his various government agencies to do whatever is necessary to ensure that all efforts were made to provide aid and relief.
The Canadian government allocated up to $5 million for immediate aid, and after a suggestion by the Opposition, the government announced that it would match any and all public donations to registered charities up to a total of $50 million. To be eligible for the matching funds, all donations must be made before Feb. 12.
Canada has a long history of providing aid to Haiti and to other countries when disaster strikes. Already the support from Canada and B.C. has been overwhelming.
Medical teams and firefighters from Kamloops and the Lower Mainland have begun mobilizing their teams to fly to Haiti to provide aid and support in the aftermath.
Seeing the countries of the world rallying behind the people of Haiti is heart-warming. We feel pretty fortunate to live in the country we do, to live on the Sunshine Coast and in B.C.
We all have our daily problems, our issues with the way certain decisions are made by our local politicians, but really and truly, at the end of the day, we're fortunate to have what we have.
Residents of the Sunshine Coast can help in the aid efforts. Donations for the Red Cross can be made by calling 1-800-418-1111 or online at www.redcross.ca, World Vision Canada at 1-800-268-5528 or www.worldvision.ca or www.canadahelps.org.
Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti. Their struggle to rebuild will be a long and difficult one.
