Newsletter Archive January 2010 How Haitian writer Richard Morse gave an hourly account of earthquake through Twitter
| How Haitian writer Richard Morse gave an hourly account of earthquake through Twitter |
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Renowned hotelier, writer and musician Richard Morse has spent the last five days reporting via Twitter on the disaster that befell his beloved island
Richard Morse
Bodies of earthquake victims are piled up in Port-au-Prince's national cemetery. Photograph: David Levene
Tuesday 12 January 8.19 am we're ok at the oloffson..internet is on !! no phones ! hope all are okay..a lot of big building in PAP are down ! 3.23pm Just about all the lights are out in Port-au-Prince.. people still screaming but the noise is dying as darkness sets. 3.33pm lots of rumors about which buildings were toppled..The Castel Haiti behind the Oloffson is a pile of rubble..it was 8 stories high 3.34pm people are bringing people by on stretchers 3.39pm I can't confirm what I hear about different buildings which are said to have collapsed but all reflects intensity of situation 4.35pm another aftershock..people are screaming and freaking out down towards the stadium..much singing and praying in large numbers 4.45pm there are still aftershocks... 5.00pm another aftershock!!! 5.33pm It's 8.44pm and we're still getting aftershocks!!I can hear people gathered in the distance singing prayers 5.45pm My mom just showed up at the Oloffson..sigh of relief!! 5.58pm the singing and praying is getting more intense..you have to believe!! From what I'm hearing, this is worse than anyone is imagining 6.18pm If the Montana Hotel and the Hotel Christopher are gone, I don't know where UN leadership is 6.19pm Too much..have to take a break 6.47pm It's getting quieter in PauP..singing and praying I was hearing earlier has died down..no helicopters..no sound of ambulances 7.11pm when my batteries die I will no longer be able to communicate..it's going to be a long night..our prayers go out to everyone 7.12pm
Wednesday 13 January 9.28am there is no police presence..there is no UN presence in the Carrefour Feuilles area..people are trying to take care of themselves 9.30am People are calm, trying to help each other...others are visiting people to see if they are ok...some are digging bodies out of buildings 9.35am I saw a couple of helicopters twice today but there is no sign that the international presence is helping the population 9.38am too many private homes of the poor are destroyed..no way of counting them all..people are sitting in the streets trying to take it all in 9.52am I am hearing the siren of an ambulance for the first time as I write this note.. 9.56am I see bodies in the street..I see bodies buried in rubble..there are going to be food, medical supply and water issues.. decomposing bodies 10.24am When the earthquake first hit I felt like I was trying to surf for the first time..it didn't want to stop.. 10.33am I'm beginning to hear helicopters more often now.. I predict massive emmigration.. no homes, no jobs,no medical treatment.disaster 10.43am If your home is destroyed and your workplace is destroyed and your neighbourhood is destroyed..then what? 10.57am what are the poor supposed to do..no homes, no jobs,no savings..no medical attention.bodies half buried nearby 11.21am another tremor...7.22pm..the praying has begun..outdoors..loud and energetic.So many churches have been destroyed 2.28pm I heard some roosters and some birds in the trees this afternoon..first time since yesterday 2.29pm singing..praying..clapping hands..the sun is setting..another night of darkness..death is all around.everyone has seen death..destruction 2.31pm People that came in from the airport are saying that there are bodies strewn about on the streets. I don't know what to make of that 3.00pm the collapsed houses and buildings are 2 much to take in at once.hearing singing and praying in the background. darkness is setting in 3.02pm I just got a reservation cancellation for the hotel... 3.08pm Bodies are being put by the side of the Canape Vert road so friends and relatives can come pick them up 3.14pm There were kids in the St Gerard skool when it collapsed. I haven't seen any sort of logistical backup in this part of town since the quake 3.30pm A priest came to see me..I asked him why so many churches collapsed..he left without an answer..God works in mysterious ways 3.38pm I hear help is coming....tomorrow 3.47pm tremor!!! 5.32pm The praying and singing has quieted down..people are outdoors waiting patiently for....whatevers next 5.41pm Night has fallen..the night seems to take so long..I guess those that are buried alive in the rubble are feeling it the worst..Prayers.. 5.55pm I saw a collapsed building today..it may have been 8 or 9 stories. it looked like 8 or 9 pieces of bread one on top of the other..survivors? 6.01pm I'm trying to find a positive point of view and all i can come up with is: a lot of people didn't die. 7.06pm Port-au-Prince is quiet tonight. I've never heard such a big city so quiet. 7.07pm If you just came in from NY or Canada, you might think it's warm here but 4 us it's the dead of winter. Prayers 4 those alive in the rubble 7.09pm I look at the sky, see the stars, and it's as if nothing was wrong. the singing, the praying and the siren bring me back to reality..Haiti 7.58pm I don't like the way CNN is spinning this thing. What shooting? Not in Port-au-Prince..Not this side of town. maybe looking for ratings 8.28pm
Thursday 14 January 2.49am 5.49am the singing and praying has begun. we won't begin to understand all that is going on around us for some time to come 2.50am the hospital across the street is putting bodies out on the street. decomposition.we need portable morgues. generators.food. help. evacuation 2.54am No homes, no jobs. death. no where to turn. people caught in the rubble. my sleep was peaceful. now I'm awake.reality sets in. sun is about 2 rise 2.56am with everything closed. money.food, drinks, supplies. rotting bodies, frustration, impatience, despair will all become a problem 3.40 am tremor!! 4.39am I'm starting to see international activity..I hear from staff that bodies are starting to decompose. Don't know what to do with excess bodies 8.16am portable morgues, medical attention needed..There is a collapsed school behind the St Gerard church. live people in the rubble. 8.20am you don't have to drive to see the damage, where ever you walk there is something out of the ordinary..often the suffering is silent 8.23am Horrific stories of death. Death is everywhere. Death is all over PauP.doors as stretchers. Camionettes as ambulances. 11.24am Bodies.Bodies.Bodies Bodies.Bodies.Bodies.I don't know how else to say it. They're being brought out on the street. 12.28pm Where do you put bodies when the morgues are full? 12.32 pm. Today it occasionally sounds like a military operation with all the planes and helicopters flying around...then they go away. 12.37pm looting is begining. The prison is empty. 3:00pm Workers trickling in, so many have lost their homes, all their belongings. How many have lost family, home, job, neighbours? Now what? Stay? 8.32pm
Friday 15 January 3.16pm The school behind St Gerard still has people buried as does everywhere. The dead bodies are becoming a greater and greater concern 3.17pm
Saturday 16 January 3.19am People are trying to justify why so many government buildings were downed.Justice? Palace? Down. Parliament? Down. Justice Building? Down. 3.20am Will Haiti start anew? That's the question of the day? What's the direction? Same direction as last year? No one seemed to like that path 3.24am Right now we have to work together to get through this mess.. but what do we do tomorrow? Where do we take it. Where do we take the country? 3.28am I spoke to my receptionist. She has yet to come to work. She said she couldn't get to PauP because 2 many bodies and 2 much stress.. 3.33am Is this a one week story? Is this a 10 day story? is this a one month story?Where r 2 million ppl going to go? Nothing for them in PauP? 3.40am when the sky is filled with planes and copters, it reminds me of the 2 invasions we had. it's different now.such suffering. ppl buried alive.. 4.30am WHO'S IN CHARGE? 5.23am • Richard Morse's twitter name is RAMhaiti |
