PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI, Jan. 15, 2010
The Haitian Earthquake's Littlest Victims
Katie Couric Reports 38 % of Haitians are Under the Age of 15
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Play CBS Video Video Quake Victims Fight To Live After struggling with unsanitary conditions and a lack of food, water or shelter, survivors of the earthquake in Haiti are growing desperate. Katie Couric reports from Port-au-Prince.
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Video Couric: The Earthquake's Littlest Victims Katie Couric previews the "CBS Evening News" from Haiti. Watch tonight, Friday, Jan. 15th, 6:30 p.m., ET/PT
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Video Unplugged: Digital Donating Bob Schieffer spoke to the State Department's Jared Cohen about the Red Cross initiative of using text messages to donate money to Haiti relief; and a new film documents the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
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Katie Couric visits 13-year-old Pierre LaRouse, who has a broken leg. His mother and father were killed in the earthquake. (CBS)
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In-Depth Haitians Seek Shelter Displaced survivors seek shelter wherever they can.
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Photo Essay Relief, Aid Enter Haiti Relief efforts enter Haiti as aftermath of earthquake continues.
A single pot of soup is stretched to feed more than a dozen members of a family.
"That's for everybody," Couric asked. "What about after that?"
"Nothing," the woman replied.
Witness to the horror of Haiti
Frustration is reaching the boiling point.
One man told Couric that he remembered Hurricane Katrina. "This right here is worse," he said.
How to Help Victims
There are more masks - real and improvised -- because of the stench of bodies out on the streets. They have run out of body bags - metal sheeting has to suffice.
One thing not in short supply? The injured. Thursday, tents were set up by
Complete Coverage: Disaster in Haiti
Couric met a woman, whose stepdaughter and her cousin were both badly hurt. They said the houses came straight down, and injured them. They've been waiting for help, but no one has arrived. One girl said a block fell on her lower back and broke it. She cannot walk.
One man gave up, and decided to take his relative to a hospital more than an hour away. Some trying to get into hospitals can't. Others pray it's not too late.
"Family Links" Web site for the Missing
The University Hospital is bursting at the seams. A few doors down, kind of MASH unit has been set up by BFAST - a Belgian organization to take care of the overflow. As if that word could apply, when the overflow is in the hundreds of thousands.
Blog: The Latest Developments
Thirteen-year-old Pierre LaRouse has a broken leg, and a head injury. His family died. His parents died.
Pierre reached out and took Couric's hand as the doctors worked on his leg. He screamed out in agony, "Why? Why? My leg."
"Squeeze my hand, squeeze my hand hard," Couric said.
"What a horror," he cried. "Why God, why is this happening to me."
The doctors were so short of medical supplies, that they asked Couric if she had a plastic cast for his leg. Couric checked with several medical facilities and was told that they had none.
Pierre's grandmother showed up shortly afterwards, and went in to comfort him.
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- First of all, my heart and prayers are with the people of Haiti. My accolades go out to the military, rescue workers and others who are doing an excellent job trying to save as many lives as possible.
Secondly, as history will dictate, there will be other earthquakes, and hurricanes (Haiti and elsewhere) somewhere around the world. As harsh it may seem to even think about the next disaster, they will happen. The best way to be ready is for emergency equipment (i.e. heavy moving equipment) and other supplies to be pre-positioned strategically around towns that are prone to these disasters. Perhaps reinforced warehouses could be built to store these equipment and supplies.
For people who live in earthquake prone areas (i.e. California) should pre-stock emergency supplies. I found two useful websites.
www.ready.gov
www.redcross.org
One list supplies everyone in disaster prone areas should stock up on. The other list supplies you can purchase. Many areas of the world are very poor and they are in earthquake prone regions. I hope CBS news will do a report on items people should stock up on. In addition, I hope worldwide relief organizations will pre-position such equipment as large earth moving vehicles as mentioned. Plus distribute, at a big discount, emergency supplies to poor areas of the world.
As harsh it may seem to think about the next disaster, I hope your news organization will mention these websites. So perhaps while people are donating money or canned foods for the dear people of Haiti, they can stock up on emergency supplies as well. - Reply to this comment
- By all means, Teaparty, let's use this monumental catastrophe to get in a political dig.
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- How wonderful that President Obama is going to visit this devistated country. What, wait a min, oh sorry, he is going to Mass instead, gotta win that Senate Seat.
Shows you where his true values are. - Reply to this comment
- I see lots of young children running around and it makes me sad to think of all the Haitians who don't have the common sense enough to not have children if they cannot afford them. They could use a few lessons in birth control and be given the tools to prevent pregnancy. The children don't deserve to be brought into such poor living conditions.
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- Thanks for your post. My co-workers and I were discussing that subject yesterday.
Children don't reserve to be brought into a world where they die from starvation, disease, etc. Are countries that backwards after hundreds of years? I'm trying to figure out why basis common sense doesn't prevail? It seems unbelievable in this day and age...It's inhumane.
God Bless the Little Children..
- Thanks for your post. My co-workers and I were discussing that subject yesterday.
- Microsoft has posted imagery from yesterday, unfortunately not cloud-free. By this time tomorrow, more recent less cloudy imagery will be available.
http://www.bing.com/maps/explore/#5872/style=a&lat=18.544191&lon=-72.340264&z=18&pid=5874/5003/0.6002=q:haiti:lat:40.5587603725762:long:-105.07800293&o=&a=0 - Reply to this comment
- I feel thank for USA troop in this time, I think it is right thing in human way.
However, it is too late after the earthquake, it could construct much stronger building.
I made a small donation , I do always through red cross.
Because I had a big one in Japan, when I was 11 years old, my father company sent us foods and waters from Tokyo Japan to the place.
I also asked to Japanese people to make a donation for the Haiti too.
They are good people, can understand people's situation. - Reply to this comment
- I wonder how those who can criticize humanitarian aid to the Haitian people can sleep at night. How many of them have ever had to experience anything even close to this? Yet they either attempt to turn it into a political situation for their own benefit (hellooooo, these are your fellow human beings here!) or they criticize these poor people and suggest that they've somehow brought it upon themselves. As if anyone in this country has ever had to live under the conditions that these people deal with on a day-to-day basis...
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