More U.S. forces deployed to Haiti as earthquake death toll tops 2,000
Haiti faced another grim day on Wednesday as search and rescue teams found more bodies in the rubble, bringing the death toll to more than 2,000 people. Rescue and recovery efforts have been slowed by Tropical Storm Grace, and have been hampered by the fact that the earthquake destroyed roads leading to some of the hardest-hit areas.
At least 2,189 people have died, 12,268 have been hospitalized with injuries, and 332 are still missing, the Haiti Office of Civil Protection tweeted late Wednesday. Jerry Chandler, the head of Haiti's Civil Protection Agency, told Reuters that at least 600,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 135,000 families are displaced.
"Haiti is now on its knees," Prime Minister Ariel Henry said in a Wednesday video address, according to Reuters. "The earthquake that devastated a large part of the south of the country proves once again our limits, and how fragile we are."
More U.S. forces have now been deployed to the country — the Navy warship USS Arlington, which carries more than 600 military personnel, will arrive Friday.
"It's a heavily damaged area and I think the need is going to be great," said Lieutenant Colonel Cory Murtaugh of the Marine Corps.
CBS News visited a hospital in Les Cayes, a city very close to the epicenter of the quake, and saw the U.S. Coast Guard bringing thousands of pounds of supplies. The Coast Guard has also rescued dozens of injured people.
"We have all kinds of rescue equipment," one Coast Guard rescue worker said. "We have over 80 rescuers in this area."
But desperation is growing as many of the hospitals are overwhelmed, forcing some patients to be treated outside — including a woman and her newborn child. A young boy with a broken leg was lucky to get a bed at the Hôpital OFATMA des Cayes.
"I am doing okay," the boy said.
CBS News traveled Wednesday with World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian group that prepared thousands of meals and delivered them to people who haven't eaten in days.
"We know that they are really hungry," one worker said. "They lost their houses, they lost everything. So for sure the most important thing for them right now is to eat to stay alive."
