A magnitude-4.3 earthquake today jolted northwest Haiti, reported the U.S. Geological Survey. According to the report the light tremor shook the sea-floor 15 miles west of the coastal city of Gonaives in the early morning. The quake did not damage anything. Talking to reporters, Gonaives residents said that they felt the quake but no one was injured and buildings were not affected.
It may be recalled that a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake had hit Haiti six months ago, killing more than 230,000 people and leaving hundreds and thousands homeless. The quake had destroyed most of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Massive relief efforts were launched by the governments, donors and the U.N. agencies to help the Haitian people shortly after the quake, believed to be one of the worst in history.
Around $5.3 billion has been pledged by global community as aid and only one-tenth has been materialized so far. The U.S. has pledged to contribute $1.15 billion. But the aid amount is not used properly so far due to bureaucratic and political bottlenecks in the Caribbean nation, which has been reeling under poverty for years now.
Despite several relief programmes, only 28,000 of the displaced have found permanent shelter so far. Some people are still living on a highway median strip. Only 300 trucks have been employed to remove the rubble, which is a little disappointing because it would take at least three years with 1,000 trucks remove the rubble. Experts maintained that an internationally funded cleanup and rebuilding effort could prove to the ultimate economic stimulus for the quake-hit Haitian.
