Quake zone Haitians crowd relief shipments, some steal goods

Haitians who have endured hunger and no roof over their heads since a devastating earthquake left them homeless are rushing relief shipment trucks and in some cases looting desperately needed supplies

LES CAYES, Haiti -- Hungry and homeless Haitians who have been sleeping outside since a devastating earthquake hit a week ago crowded relief trucks on Friday and some stole desperately needed goods from the vehicles, according to officials and an Associated Press photographer who witnessed one of the events. The attacks on relief shipments illustrated the rising frustration of those left homeless after the Aug. 14 magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which killed nearly 2,200 people, injured more than 12,000 and destroyed or damaged more than 100,000 homes. “I have been here since yesterday, not able to do anything,” said 23-year-old Sophonie Numa, who waited outside an international aid distribution site in the city of Camp-Perrin, located in the hard-hit southwestern Les Cayes region. “I have other people waiting for me to come back with something.” Numa said her home was destroyed in the quake and that her sister broke her leg during the temblor.