Less poetic, but just as primary: the injuries. Broken spines, crushed limbs, punctured lungs from inhaling concrete dust. Hospitals that survived were overwhelmed. There were stories of doctors performing amputations with hacksaws and no anesthesia on children, because that was the only way to free them from the rubble.
Haiti earthquake: Towns destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed, with
The psychological trauma? Instant. Imagine hearing a child’s voice under a pile of concrete, then not hearing it anymore. That’s a primary impact that doesn’t go away—it just becomes a different kind of weight. (And yes, I use the word “weight” on purpose. Because grief is heavy.)
