Haiti has recently faced multiple natural disasters and is currently in the middle of a humanitarian crisis. On August 14, a major 7.2 magnitude earthquake ripped through the nation, killing over 2,000 citizens, injuring 12,000, and leaving 300 missing. Death tolls continue to rise as rescue teams slowly search through the rubble of destroyed homes. Only three days after the earthquake, a tropical storm struck, interrupting the rescue work started by humanitarian aid groups. Flash floods and landslides caused additional damage to buildings and houses. An estimate from UNICEF states that 1.2 million Haitians have been affected by one or both of the natural disasters.
These disasters took place as Haiti continues recovery from repercussions of the assasination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7. Haiti has seen its fair share of man-made and natural disasters including the earthquake that killed around 250,000 in 2010. Lack of resources and poor leadership have slowed the recovery process to a crawl. CNN columnist Joseph Peniel, a Haitian-American, explains that the effects of environmental disasters and domestic conflict “have further weakened the ability of already-vulnerable institutions to provide clean water, adequate healthcare, and safe waste removal for Haitians.” Haiti has a history of being the recipient of harmful foreign policy and domestic conflict that has kept many of its people in poverty.
Clearly, problems like these aren’t fixed simply, and the responsibility to do so is not solely in the hands of one nation. As we hear about Haiti and its slow progress towards restoration, we must think about what we can do to help. How can we combat the adverse effects of climate change and capitalism? How can we stand in solidarity with those who are scared and grieving? How can we work to effect change in systems that perpetuate structural violence? How can we stay informed? There’s a lot happening outside our immediate field of view that doesn’t directly affect us but certainly affects our brothers and sisters around the world.
Sources –
NPR: What We Know About The Situation In Haiti, Days After The Massive Earthquake
Aid Organizations Fear Haiti Disease Outbreak | Time
Haiti earthquake: Tropical Storm Grace hampers rescue
Perspective | Earthquakes and storms are natural, but Haiti’s disasters are man-made, too