Obama updates Haitian relief efforts (Photo by: whitehouse.gov)

On Jan. 12, Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7 earthquake, the largest the country has experienced in over 200 years. The epicenter of the earthquake was within 10 miles of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The Red Cross has estimated that the quake will affect at least 3 million Haitians. Haiti has a total population of around 9 million and is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.

In the days following the earthquake, Haiti has received aid from organizations all over the world.  International governments, including the United States, have been offering help of all kinds.  President Obama has promised Haitians they will have the “full support of the United States.”

Worldwide, millions of Internet users have been calling on one another to donate money to the relief fund.  Donations via text message alone have already raised over $10 million.

Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other social media outlets are serving as real-time news sources as more information on the disaster emerges.  On Twitter, trending topics such as #Haiti and #HelpHaiti have remained at the top of the list since the quake. “Trending topics” are the most talked about pieces of information on Twitter at any given time. The Top 10 topics are displayed on every Twitter user’s homepage at all times, encouraging users to see what everyone else is talking about and contribute to the discussion.

Wyclef Jean, popular singer and Haitian, is using his Twitter account (@Wyclef) to update Twitter users about Yéle Haiti, which he created in 2005 to spread awareness about his home country. He is currently using the site as a vehicle to receive donations.

Even CNN is tracking happenings in Haiti through Twitter and other social media, writing stories about the latest in the devastated country based on eye-witness accounts posted on Twitter.

But an article on Mashable, purveyor of all things social media, reminds Internet users that social media can make us aware of what’s happening in disaster areas, but it can’t actually fix the problems. That’s up to the people.

For more of Jordan’s takes on national issues and politics, follow her on Twitter @ygenoutloud.

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