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Haiti quake survivors cry for help as death toll nears 2,000
Survivors of the earthquake that killed at least 1,941 people in Haiti clamored for food, shelter and medical care on Tuesday as search and rescue efforts resumed after a tropical storm lashed the Caribbean nation with rain, causing dangerous flooding.
Quake damage to several major hospitals hampered humanitarian efforts, and doctors in makeshift tents outside battled to save the lives of the many injured, including young children and the elderly. But they could not help them all, Reuters reported.
“There weren’t enough doctors and now she’s dead,” said Lanette Nuel, sitting listlessly next to her daughter’s body outside the main hospital of Les Cayes, one of the towns worst hit by both the tremor and the storm’s heavy rains and winds.
The 26-year-old deceased woman, herself a mother of two, had been crushed by debris during the magnitude 7.2 quake. Now she lay under a white sheet on the floor.
“We came in yesterday afternoon, she died this morning. I can’t do anything,” her mother said.
Saturday’s quake knocked down tens of thousands of buildings in the poorest country in the Americas, which is still recovering from a temblor 11 years ago that killed over 200,000 people. Aside from the dead, the latest quake also injured at least 9,915, with many people still missing or under the rubble, the civil protection service said on Tuesday afternoon, Reuters reported.
Relief efforts were already complicated due to political turmoil and difficult road access from the capital to the south due to gang control of key points. Flash flooding and landslides in the wake of Tropical Storm Grace, which by Tuesday afternoon had continued on past Jamaica, exacerbated the situation.
“Countless Haitian families who have lost everything due to the earthquake are now living literally with their feet in the water due to the flooding,” said Bruno Maes, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in the country.
“Right now, about half a million Haitian children have limited or no access to shelter, safe water, healthcare and nutrition.”
The United Nations said it had allocated $8 million in emergency funds to provide relief for affected people, Reuters reported.
Latin America countries including Venezuela, Chile, Mexico, Panama, Colombia and the neighboring Dominican Republic sent food, medicine and supplies. The United States also dispatched supplies and search and rescue teams.
Although criminal gangs have been blocking access roads for months, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs said “successful negotiations” had made it possible for a convoy to reach Les Cayes.
The hospital in Les Cayes, about 150 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince, was even more overwhelmed on Tuesday than before as patients who had been camping outside moved indoors to escape the tropical storm.
Director Peterson Gede said medics were doing the best they could. “We couldn’t handle all the patients,” he said. “And we have been receiving supplies, but it’s not enough.”
At a tent city in Les Cayes containing many children and babies, over a hundred people scrambled to repair makeshift coverings made of wooden poles and tarps that were destroyed by Grace overnight. Some took cover under plastic sheets.
Mathieu Jameson, deputy head of the committee formed by the tent city residents, said hundreds of people there were in urgent need of food, shelter and medical care.
“We don’t have a doctor. We don’t have food. Every morning more people are arriving. We have no bathroom, no place to sleep. We need food, we need more umbrellas,” said Jameson, adding the tent city was still waiting for government aid.
Haiti’s latest natural disaster comes just over a month after the country was plunged into political turmoil by the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday it was too early to gauge the impact of the quake on Haiti’s political process and that the United States, the country’s main donor, had no current plans to deploy its military there.
Rescue workers have been digging alongside residents through the rubble in a bid to reach survivors.
On Tuesday morning 16 people were recovered alive alongside nine dead, Haitian civil protection authorities said.
But hopes were fading, and a smell of dust and decomposing bodies permeated the air, Reuters reported.
“We came from all over to help: from the north, from Port-au Prince, from everywhere,” said Maria Fleurant, a firefighter from northern Haiti.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was sworn in less then a month ago after Moise’s assassination, vowed to disburse humanitarian aid better than in the wake of the 2010 quake.
Though billions of dollars in aid poured into Haiti after that quake and Hurricane Matthew in 2016, many Haitians say they saw scant benefits from the uncoordinated efforts: government bodies remained weak, amid persistent shortages of food and basic goods.
“The earthquake is a great misfortune that happens to us in the middle of the hurricane season,” Henry told reporters. He said the government would not repeat “the same things” done in 2010.
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Afghan embassy in Kuwait discusses situation of Afghan prisoners with Kuwaiti officials
During the meeting, both sides held constructive discussions on the condition of Afghan prisoners in Kuwait.
The acting head of Afghanistan’s Embassy in Kuwait, Mohammad Shafiq Khatib, has met with senior Kuwaiti officials to discuss the situation of Afghan nationals held in Kuwaiti prisons.
According to a statement from the Afghan Embassy in Kuwait, Khatib met with Abu Fahad Mansour Fayez Al-Barrak, Deputy Director of Kuwait’s Prisoners Affairs Department, and Ali Abbas, an official responsible for legal affairs.
During the meeting, both sides held constructive discussions on the condition of Afghan prisoners in Kuwait.
The embassy did not provide further details about the specific issues raised or any agreements reached during the meeting.
The meeting comes as part of diplomatic engagement between Afghanistan and Kuwait on matters concerning Afghan nationals and their welfare abroad.
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Ancient treasures unearthed at Kabul’s historic Bala Hissar
The fortress suffered extensive damage during centuries of conflict, particularly the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879.
Archaeologists excavating Kabul’s historic Bala Hissar fortress have uncovered remarkable remains, including a Mughal-era palace, evidence of ancient Buddhist monasteries and a mysterious star-shaped pool, offering fresh insight into more than 2,000 years of Afghanistan’s history.
The discoveries include palace ruins featuring wall paintings, bathing facilities and what is believed to be a royal throne. Researchers also found Buddhist sculptures and monastery-related structures, pointing to Kabul’s importance as a religious and cultural centre before the Islamic period.
Other artefacts include ancient coins, Islamic ceramics, oil lamps and pottery, revealing how communities lived across different periods. Excavations are underway in five areas, with one trench reaching approximately 11 metres below ground.
Bala Hissar served as a royal residence, administrative centre and military stronghold, including during the Mughal era after Emperor Babur captured Kabul in 1504.
The fortress suffered extensive damage during centuries of conflict, particularly the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture has led conservation and archaeological work at the site since 2018, using modern technologies such as ground-penetrating radar and 3D laser scanning.
Large sections remain unexplored, and archaeologists believe further excavations could reveal more about Afghanistan’s rich cultural, religious and military heritage.
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Haqqani visits four Afghan provinces, meets local officials and residents
During his visit to Paktia, Haqqani met with tribal elders in Gardez-e-Sher district and attended a condolence gathering for a deceased family member.
Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has visited Ghazni, Paktika, Paktia and Maidan Wardak provinces, meeting with local officials, religious scholars, tribal elders, security members and residents to discuss security, governance and community concerns.
According to a statement released by the ministry, Haqqani listened to residents’ concerns, reviewed the activities of local authorities and discussed administrative and security challenges during his visits.
In Ghazni, Haqqani attended a graduation ceremony at Noor-ul-Madaris Madrasa in Shilgar district, where more than 400 students received graduation certificates from various departments.
He also visited an elementary school in Behbud village of Gilan district, where he reviewed the learning environment and discussed plans for constructing a school building and providing assistance to students.
During another visit, he inspected the Shaheed Muslim Orphanage in Janda area and received information about the children’s education and welfare.
In Paktika, Haqqani met with local residents, tribal elders and security members in Khairkot district, emphasizing reconstruction and national development.
He said the period of war and bloodshed had ended and that Afghanistan should now focus on rebuilding and progress. He also described reconstruction as a shared responsibility between the government and the public.
At the Paktika provincial governor’s office, Haqqani met civilian and security officials to discuss the province’s overall situation, administrative affairs, security challenges and public service needs.
He also met separately with people with disabilities, listened to their concerns and assured them of cooperation and support.
During his visit to Paktia, Haqqani met with tribal elders in Gardez-e-Sher district and attended a condolence gathering for a deceased family member.
His final stop was Maidan Wardak province, where he visited the Tang-e Valley and attended another condolence gathering before returning to Kabul.
The four-province tour focused on engagement with local communities, reviewing provincial affairs and discussing reconstruction, governance and public concerns.
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