Aid airlift underway to earthquake-striken Haiti

The United States has begun distributing aid to Haiti after an earthquake earlier this month killed over 2,200 people and injured over 12,000 others. 

The aid airlifts, which are slated to run for at least several weeks, began delivering tarps, food and other supplies to some of the areas that were hit the hardest in southern Haiti, The Associated Press reported. 

The earthquake had destroyed or damaged almost 130,000 homes in addition to 59 health facilities, according to U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency said that the UN believed around 650,000 people were in need of international assistance. Over 300 people are reportedly missing. 

The U.S. pledged $32 million in assistance to the country, which was already grappling with gang violence and the July assassination of its president before the earthquake had hit. In addition to the earthquake, Tropical Storm Grace’s rainfall had also damaged the country’s infrastructure.

About 265,000 pounds of goods have already been delivered by the U.S. Southern Command, including 8,500 pounds that were distributed just on Saturday, according to the wire service.

USAID administrator, and the senior U.S. official spearheading Haiti’s U.S. assistance, Samantha Power, visited the country on Thursday with officials, Haitians and U.S. service members to see the humanitarian assistance firsthand. 

Bocchit Edmond, Haiti’s ambassador to the U.S. thanked service members for helping and Powers for her service to victims.