Sir, – Hurricane Sandy may have dealt a blow to New York and New Jersey, but amounts to very much less in comparison to the damage, and especially the human tragedy it left behind in Haiti, which also took a direct hit. In a country with serious food shortages already, it is estimated that 70 per cent of the crops have been wiped out, over 54 people died and a serious cholera epidemic could become rampant, having already cost 7,500 lives since 2010.
This is not to make light of the real suffering being enduring by many in the north east of the United States. However, it does underline the shocking inequality in our world especially in terms of the failure of the infrastructure in the developing world, to cope with phenomena that may become all too common as global warming intensifies.
The resilience of the Haitian people is not in doubt in the manner in which they have survived the series of blows they have received in recent years. Hopefully Sandy may not only remind us that we live in an unequal world, but that we also have a responsibility to ensure that they are given the opportunity to continue to rebuild their country. – Yours, etc,