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Following Tuesday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, the death toll was feared to exceed 100,000. The entire island was ripped off terribly by the natural disaster and laid under a pile of rubble. The destruction was nearly impossible to imagine. Many aid groups have come to join in rescue efforts.

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According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Haiti was affected by Tuesday’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake before 5 p.m., 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, and the quake can even be felt strongly 200 miles away from the eastern Cuba. The death toll from this 7.0-magnitude earthquake was reported to may have been exceeded 100,000 and meanwhile approximately 10 million Haitians continue to feel the tremors, mourn their losses and fear that more destruction may envelop them. A professor of geophysics from the Earth Sciences Department at Durham University in England, Roger Searle, has said that the quake’s power was the strength of several nuclear bombs. 

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From a TV screen, I saw the entire city of Port-au-Prince collapse to the ground. Many major buildings, including hotels, hospitals and even presidential palace were knocked down. It was such a heart-wrenching scene to hear cries coming beneath the rubble. Many blocks of collapsed buildings and crumbled homes were abandoned in a terrible mess, men and women were both carrying their injured neighbors through the streets, highlighting the saddest moment!

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I could not bear to continue to watch as I saw dozens of bodies piling up in the streets, especially when my eyes caught dust-covered survivors rushing through the streets shouting in great agony and terror. There were also heart-wrenching moments where those who were trapped in the rubble were trying to crawl out from the fallen construction while shouting for attention and aid.

What the World and You Can Do to Help Earthquake Victims of Haiti?

I urge the leaders of the countries to show their donor commitments to Haiti by sending any emergency assistance such as basic medical supplies, helicopters, clothes, tents, food and financial aids.

So far, rescue teams from France, Ireland and China have reached Haiti to help the survivors, including aid flights and 3 million euros from Spain, a field hospital from Russia and doctors from Cuba. World Bank as well as the United Nation had also released financial aids on Wednesday. I’d like to see more and more head leaders, governments and agencies open their hands to help rescue as many survivors as possible from being trapped in this terrible earthquake.

Doctors should volunteer to give their full commitment to rescue any survivors that could possible to be taken out from the buried ground or buildings.

You can help by donating money to help earthquake victims in Haiti. Below are several agencies, institutions and organizations that are now gearing up their financial and humanitarian aids to assist the affected victims.

  • To donate to American Red Cross, simply go to RedCross.org, hit donate now button at the top and then International Response Fund. Alternatively, send text “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 to the International Response Fund or call 1-800-Red-Cross.
  • To donate to Care, simply go to Care.org., or contact them at 1-800-521-CARE. Your donation will go to the Haiti relief fund effort. Monetary donations go toward water and sanitation, food, shelter and emergency health response.
  • To donate to Direct Relief International, simply go to directrelief.org, or call 805-964-4767 and 800-676-1638. Money will go toward supplies, medical aids and equipments in Haiti.
  • To donate to Yele Haiti, simply go to yele.org or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5.
  • To donate to AmeriCares, simply go to AmeriCares.org., or call 1-800-486-HELP. Money will go toward medical aids.
  • To donate to Medicins sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders), simply go to Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) doctorswithoutborders.org
  • To donate to Medical Teams International, simply go to medicalteams.org,  hit donate now button, or call 1-800-959-HEAL (4325). You may also send a check to Medical Teams International, P.O. Box 10, Portland, OR 97207.
  • To donate to World Food Programme, simply go to wfp.org.
  • To donate to U.S. Fund for UNICEF, simply go to Unicefusa.org, or call 1-800-4-UNICEF. Money will go toward education, nutrition, clean water, health care and emergency relief.
  • To donate to International Medical Corps, simply go to imcworldwide.org, or call 1-800-481-4462. Monetary donations go toward medical aids, emergency kits and medicine supplies.
  • To donate to Mercy Corps, simply go to MercyCorps.org. Monetary donations go toward food, water, temporary shelter aids and other humanitarian needs in Haiti.
  • To donate to Operational USA, simply go to opusa.org, or call 1-800-678-7255. Alternatively, mail them a check at Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave., Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232. Money will go toward water purification supplies, health care materials and food aids.
  • To donate to Sheltherbox, simply go to shelterbox.org. or call 941-907-6036.
  • To donate to The Salvation Army, simply go to salvationarmyusa.org, or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Prior to donation, make sure that you designate the donation for “Haiti Earthquake.” Money will go toward water, transportation, medicine and food aids.
  • To donate to Save the Children, simply go to savethechildren.org, or call 1-800-728-3843 or 203-221-4030.

No matter where you’re now, the easiest way you can help the quake survivors in Haiti is by praying on their behalf. For earthquake survivors, let’s pray them all the best of luck for their life. And for those who have left due to the tragic of Tuesday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, we pray for their grieve and may their soul rest in peace. Please mourn several minutes for their loss. And for the affected family, we feel deep sorrow and pray you receive comfort in your time of need, and we urge you to be strong to deal with these trials and please remember that time will heal your wound and you’ll feel better in time!