Advertisement

Roo News

The Student News Site of University of Missouri - Kansas City

Roo News

Roo News

Amidst the festive spirit of St. Patricks Day, the iconic symbol of luck, the clover, reminds us of the rich traditions and celebrations honoring Irish heritage.
Exploring St. Patrick's Day Alternatives in Kansas City
Aydan Stigler and Grace Beshore March 14, 2024

  The annual St. Patrick's Day celebration is just around the corner, and with celebration comes large crowds.    The annual city parade...

Visit the City Market to explore local vendors.
Smart Saving Strategies for a Wallet-Friendly Spring Break
Emily Wheeler, Staff Writer • March 14, 2024

  UMKC students are ready for the upcoming week-long spring break, but are their wallets?   From travel adventures to staycations, spring...

Earth Mother by Sheron Smith
Her Art/Their Art Explores the Female Experience in the 21st Century
Elyse Bredfeldt, Staff Writer • March 12, 2024

  Her Art/Their Art is a collection that aims to answer the question: “What does it mean to identify, live, navigate, or be perceived by society...

Nina Simone: Four Women” playbook.
The KC Rep’s “Nina Simone: Four Women” is both timeless and poignant.
Maisy Blanton, Staff Writer • March 5, 2024

  The Kansas City Repertory Theater (KCRep) recently performed “Nina Simone: Four Women.” The show follows musician Nina Simone as she...

Around 1 million people were estimated to be in attendance at the parade.
One Dead, Several Injured During Chiefs Parade
Zach Gunter and Jazlyn Summers February 14, 2024

Update:   As of 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, the number of those injured at the Union Station shooting after the Chiefs Super Bowl parade...

Massive earthquake strikes Haiti, estimated death toll in the thousands

Massive+earthquake+strikes+Haiti%2C+estimated+death+toll+in+the+thousands
UMKC’s partnership program, Visiting Students Learning Opportunities, allows medical students to take part in over 2,000 clinical, service learning or research rotations in 44 countries around the world, including Haiti. (Dagens Nyheter)

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti’s southern peninsula on Aug. 14, toppling buildings and killing thousands. The estimated death toll sits at 2,200, with around 12,000 injured and many more still missing. 

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake to be more powerful than the one that hit near the country’s capital city in January 2010, which had a 7.0 magnitude and killed 220,000 people. Seismologists reported rumblings reaching as far as Jamaica over 200 miles away.

Aftershocks reportedly continue to shake the country in the days after the disaster. Some of these even reached a magnitude of five, threatening to collapse more buildings.

“About 1 in 20 mainshocks, like the 7.2, are followed by a similar-sized or larger quake, within the first week,” the USGS said. “This chance goes down with time however, and large aftershocks can occur even months after the mainshock.”

The quake struck 78 miles west of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and affected two cities, Les Cayes and Jeremie. This same region was battered by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, which killed nearly 900 people and reportedly destroyed 90% of some areas, including the main road connecting the peninsula to the capital. The region was still recovering from this disaster when the quake happened.

The quake struck in the midst of immense political turmoil following the assassination of its leader, President Jovenel Moïse, on July 7. 

The country remains one of the poorest in the world, with 60% of the population earning less than $2 a day. A power vacuum, severe poverty and rampant gang violence left the country ill-prepared to handle a disaster of this scale. 

Relief efforts and aid are pouring into Haiti from around the world, including UMKC. 

“The students at the UMKC School of Medicine St. Joseph Campus have organized a fund-raising effort to help Haitians during their time of need,” said Steve Waldman, the vice dean of strategic initiatives for the UMKC School of Medicine.

Waldman works with the Office of International Programs, which has a partnership program called Visiting Students Learning Opportunities (VSLO). This program allows UMKC Medical Students to take part in over 2,000 clinical, service learning or research rotations in 44 countries around the world, including Haiti. No students were working in Haiti at the time of the earthquake. 

Students can donate to other organizations which are helping with the relief effort. Compiled and approved by charitynavigator.org, these organizations come from a long list of vetted charities that are dedicated to helping the people of Haiti through the crisis. 

Hope for Haiti is an international organization that has operated in Haiti for 30 years, working to eradicate the poverty there by improving education, healthcare and infrastructure. The organization has already responded to the earthquake by distributing emergency kits, visiting schools and communities to assess the damage, and packing over 25 pallets of medical supplies that are set to be delivered to Les Cayes.

Direct Relief operates in all 50 states and over 80 countries to improve the lives of those affected by poverty or natural disasters. This group already has established hospitals and clinics in Haiti that allow for rapid response. In addition to the hospitals, Direct Relief has mobilized emergency tents and supplies to the country.

Team Rubicon recruits veterans to assist with disasters and humanitarian crises by utilizing their unique skills and experiences to respond quickly and efficiently. They have volunteers working in Haiti’s emergency rooms and have seen over 500 patients so far.

[email protected]

Leave a Comment
Donate to Roo News

Your donation will support the student journalists of University of Missouri - Kansas City. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to Roo News

Comments (0)

All Roo News Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *