Haiti Earthquake: Race Against Time

(CBS)  CBS News managing editor Katie Couric is in Port-au-Prince, heading up a CBS crew reporting on the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

As night falls in Haiti, danger and desperation grow by the hour. Bodies piling up everywhere could lead to an outbreak of disease. Gangs of looters roam the streets. And thousands upon thousands of Haitians have no home, no food and no water.

The Haitian Red Cross estimates as many as 50,000 have died - and it's run out of body bags. The State Department confirms one American death. President Obama addressed the people of Haiti directly today and announced $100 million dollars in U.S. assistance.

How to Help Victims

The immediate problem is getting aid into Haiti. There's a such a bottleneck at the airport that the FAA has stopped any more planes from coming here from the United States.

Port-Au-Prince airport resembled a United Nations meeting on a crowded tarmac Thursday. Rescue teams from Belgium, Columbian police, a Venezuelan air force C-130 unloading medical supplies, another C-130 from Brazil, a K-9 search and rescue team from Luxembourg, and the U.S. Military were assembled on the tarmac. As CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric reports, an outpouring of supplies came from everywhere.

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The help must get to the 3 million Haitians who need it. Nearly every street is an obstacle course of debris and the dead. The roads have become morgues. Clean water is scarce. Makeshift hospitals are overwhelmed.

The destruction is so widespread that relief agencies must prioritize who gets help first.

Couric flew on a Coast Guard plane usually used for search and rescue. Today its mission is far different.

"We have the ability in this aircraft to send live pictures back to command centers," said the pilot, Lieutenant Tavis McEleny. "So they can get a real time picture of what's currently on the ground, and then we can direct resources to where it's most needed."

Complete Coverage: Devastation in Haiti

The images along with their GPS coordinates will direct relief on the ground.

But coordinating this massive effort is still a monumental challenge.

"My heart really goes out to these people and their families," Lt. McEleny said. "I can't imagine what I would be like to be surrounded by this much suffering."

Meanwhile the Fairfax, Virginia Urban Search and Rescue is here along with teams from L.A. and Miami. Even the Chinese are lending a hand. Their first job? The United Nations headquarters where as many as 100 people are trapped and feared dead. After a slow painstaking search, a man was rescued today.

For 40 hours, Tarmo Joveer, a U.N. security specialist from Estonia was trapped in what was once his office. He emerged exhausted but triumphant.

There were eerie reminders today from the Citigroup building that collapsed. Paperwork was seen today amid the rubble. Tuesday before 4:53 pm, it was just another day at the office.

While untrained Port-Au-Prince residents were able to rescue two people overnight underneath the building. A second team from Fairfax came hoping to rescue more people.

"An incredible amount of people will probably lose their lives here," said Sam Gray of the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue. "Honestly, the hardest part is to know how many people aren't going to be able to be saved."

Relief workers say the first 72 hours after a disaster are critical to saving lives. That window is quickly closing as Haiti moves from shock to desperation.

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[mocier]

How big is the generator the news anchors each use? How much security do they need? How many showers do they have access to? How many operating rooms and streets of victims could this equipment help. Anchors chasing ratings while people die, you all make me sick.

[enwr77]

The pictures remind me of the Dome in New Orleans after Katrina. If they drop in supplies that may cause panic.

Large concrete and mortar structures should not be built on islands.

[jsfitzgerrel]

you must be so overwhelmed. prayers to everyone. can not remember a more devastating event in my lifetime. thanks for the amazing coverage.

[us_1776]

There are a few airports in Haiti but most are small unimproved runways:

Town Airport name ICAO IATA Usage Customs Runway IFR length
Cap Haitien Cap Haitien Intl MTCH CAP Civ. Yes Paved Yes 4900 ft
Jacmel Jacmel MTJA JAK Civ. Unpaved No 3900 ft
Jeremie Jeremie MTJE JEE Civ. Unpaved No 3900 ft
Port De Paix Port De Paix MTPX PAX Civ. Unpaved No 2000 ft
Port-Au-Prince Port-Au-Prince Intl MTPP PAP Civ. Yes Paved Yes 9900 ft

[start99]

With the technology we have today and military..this is quite an easy operation to accomplish. I know Katrina was in the past and im glad we are helping but, the reaction timing is really fast johnny on the money. Katrina was less unfortunate plus the victims. So much red tape they had to go thru to get supplies and too long to get it..here we have a country that is miles away and they get help with in a day.
Point is...why is the USA so obligated to do more than other countries and where is the UN on this?

[bobhobbs]

It's time to PARACHUTE in food, water, and med supplies to the people of Haiti. All other transfer methods are too slow!

[retm-w]

Once the helicopters are there they can shuttle supplies in from ships, to distribution centers. Parachuting in supplies would need a secure drop zone. Otherwise the gangs would grab the aid and blackmarket it.

[jschmidt27]

considering how densely packed the city is, if you try to air drop supplies you'll either hit someone, or it will land on a roof of a damaged building and cause more damage. If the package acutally lands, people could be killed in the mad rush to get the supplies or the gangs with machetes will take all the supplies and sell it. You need the military to keep order, hand out supplies, protect rescuers. This is not rocket science. This is common sense. And we should have learned this from Katrina where things went a lot smoother when the general was put in charge. It would be nice if either the UN or Obama made this decision in consultation with the Hatians.

[-One_American-]

Gunga Dan - meet Haiti Katie.