A HAITIAN man who has been pulled alive from rubble in Port-au-Prince may have been trapped since an earthquake devastated the city 27 days ago.
Evan Muncie, a 28-year-old rice vendor, was being treated in a US-run field hospital last night, a day after being discovered in the ruins of a marketplace which collapsed in the January 12th quake.
He was malnourished, delirious and dehydrated but had no serious injuries, prompting astonishment at what could be the most remarkable survival from the earthquake.
Mr Muncie reportedly told doctors that someone “in a white coat” brought him water while he was pinned down, but even after being rescued he appeared to think he was still under rubble and left gaps in his account.
Relatives said he vanished when the massive quake levelled Haiti’s capital, killing an estimated 200,000 people.
Experts said few people survived more than three days under rubble and on January 23rd Haiti’s government declared an end to search-and-rescue efforts.
It was unclear who found Mr Muncie in Croix-des-Bossales seaside market, a ruin which has been looted and burned.
The discovery astonished relatives, who assumed they would not see him again. His mother told local reporters: “I thought he was dead, but God kept him from dying.” Doctors said the patient appeared disoriented and may have hallucinated during his ordeal. “Initially, I’m sure he had his senses with him, so maybe he was able to find some kind of resources,” Dr Mike Connelly, who was treating Mr Muncie at the US field hospital, told CNN.
Mr Muncie must have had access to water while he was trapped, the doctor added, but may not have had food. “He was emaciated. He hadn’t had anything in quite some time. He had open wounds that were festering on both of his feet.” Dushyantha Jayaweera, of the University of Miami field hospital, told Reuters it was plausible that Mr Muncie had been buried since the quake.
“It is unusual but not impossible. He was quite dehydrated and he was wasted, so there are certain things that suggest that it’s true,” Mr Jayaweera said.
Until Mr Muncie the last known survivor was Darlene Etienne (16), hailed as a miracle girl after being rescued on January 27th.
Other news was less cheerful. The UN warned it would cut off shipments of free medicine to hospitals that charge patients. About a dozen public and private hospitals have begun charging for medicine, UN officials told AP.
After the quake authorities immediately announced all medical care was free – though in many places it was absent or overwhelmed. Haiti now has about 90 hospitals, including public and private hospitals and field hospitals.
With the rainy season looming medical focus is turning from trauma wounds and amputations to infections and disease.
– ( Guardianservice)