by Garrett Kenyon

The world is in shock as alarming images from the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday, Jan. 12, at approximately 4:53 p.m. ET flood news channels and the internet. The epicenter of the disaster was 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, throwing the city of 3 million into chaos. A series of tremors and aftershocks continued throughout Wednesday that could be felt as far away as eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is ill-equipped to handle a disaster of this scale. A lack of social services and infrastructure is complicating relief efforts, filling hospitals and overwhelming international aid organizations. The U.N. headquarters in Port-au-Prince was destroyed in the initial waves, leaving rescue and peace-keeping efforts paralyzed.

Up to a third of Haiti's 9 million residents have been affected by this disaster, and tens of thousands are feared dead as efforts continue to free survivors from the rubble and identify the missing.

The president of Haiti, Rene Preval, and his wife survived the quake, though a number of important government buildings, including the presidential palace and the foreign ministry, have been completely destroyed.

Sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, the Dominican Republic appears largely unaffected, though residents report feeling the initial tremors and aftershocks. Some fear another flood of refugees from Haiti will further damage the Dominican Republic's already-poor economy; but so far, reports suggest that the border is calm.

President Barrack Obama has promised immediate relief, saying America "will respond with a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives." Several American aircraft carriers are headed toward the beleaguered nation, including the USS Carl Vinson, which is scheduled to arrive later today with much-needed emergency supplies.

Several major relief organizations are working to bring relief to the Haitian people. Although Children International does not work in Haiti, donations will be sent, in their entirety, to organizations the agency trusts will use funds wisely and with an eye on medium to long-term renewal in and around Port-au-Prince. For more information, click here.