Officials in Haiti have confirmed at least 1,297 people are dead after a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Caribbean nation on Saturday.
[column]
The southwest of Haiti appears to have suffered the worst of the damage, especially around the city of Les Cayes. Rescuers are picking through rubble in a desperate search for any survivors. Homes, churches, and schools were among buildings flattened in the quake. Some hospitals were left overwhelmed and in need of supplies. An unknown number of people are missing and about 5,700 have been injured, officials say.
The disaster compounds problems facing the impoverished nation, which is already reeling from a political crisis following the assassination of its president last month.
AMURT & AMURTEL has teams on the ground and donations are welcome to support the current efforts of tarp distribution and a canteen program for kids and pregnant/nursing women in a region where there are no NGOs or other interventions.
Current recovery programs include Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) that provide psycho-social support and emergency education activities, including yoga, karate and, art activities.
[/column]
[column]
People in remote areas near Las Cayes receive tarps to protect them until their houses can be rebuild.
Community kitchen provides meals in interior villages[/column]
In the recovery program, children learn stretches to de-stress and improve their health.
On a nearby beach, children learn karate for resilience and health