On the recordFebruary 3, 2010
Mr. Speaker, as members of the CBC, we extend our deepest sympathy and our support to the people of Haiti. The nation, of course, recently experienced the largest recorded earthquake in its history. On January 12, the quake devastated many parts of the country, including the capital of Port-au-Prince. To put the earthquake in some kind of scale, it had a magnitude of 7.0 and a series of strong aftershocks. There have been at least 52 aftershocks at 4.5 magnitude or above. The damage is severe and catastrophic. The government of Haiti is reporting an estimated 112,000 deaths and 194,000 injured. The New York Times reports that 225,000 homes were severely damaged or collapsed, and nearly one-third of the country's population are currently at risk of long-term displacement and vulnerability. In total, it is estimated that 3 million people have been negatively affected by the earthquake. In the immediate wake of the earthquake, Haiti's President Rene Garcia Preval described conditions in his country as unimaginable and appealed for international assistance.
