Major earthquake in Haiti. Start of rescue operations

2010 Haiti Earthquake 2010 Haiti Earthquake was a major earthquake on the island of Haiti that occurred on January 12 at 4:53 pm local time. The epicenter was located 22 km southwest of the capital of the Republic of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, the hypocenter at a depth of 13 km. After the main shock of magnitude 7, many aftershocks were recorded, including 15 with a magnitude greater than 5.

On the day of the earthquake in the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, thousands of residential buildings and almost all hospitals were destroyed. About 3 million people were left homeless. The National Palace, the buildings of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Communications and Culture and the cathedral were also destroyed. The country's capital, Port-au-Prince (population 2.5 million), was devastated by the earthquake, but the rest of the country suffered little damage.

49 employees of the UN mission to stabilize the situation in Haiti were killed, and about 300 more people are missing. The UN mission was created in Haiti in 2004 after unrest in that country. The mission consists of 9,000 people, mostly soldiers and police. Among the dead are citizens of Argentina, Brazil, China, Jordan, the Vatican and other countries. Water pipelines in the city were destroyed, and there were problems with access to fresh water. The roads were blocked by rubble. Cases of looting were recorded in the city. The corpses of the dead were piled on the sidewalks and roadsides and transported by truck to the central hospital, where 1,500 corpses had accumulated at the morgue. The prison building was damaged and prisoners fled.

After the main shock of magnitude 7, many aftershocks were recorded, including 15 with a magnitude greater than 5.

The earthquake in Haiti was the result of the movement of the earth's crust in the contact zone of the Caribbean and North American lithospheric plates. The last time an earthquake of such destructive force occurred in Haiti was in 1751.

According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was 222,570 people, 311 thousand people were injured, and 869 people were missing. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.

Consequences

The country's capital, Port-au-Prince (population 2.5 million), was devastated by the earthquake, but the rest of the country suffered little damage.

13th of January

Haitian President René Préval's initial statement on January 13 put the estimated death toll at 30,000. Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said the total death toll could exceed one hundred thousand. Some sources cited a figure of half a million people.

49 staff members of the UN stabilization mission in Haiti were killed ( MINUSTAH), including the head of the mission, Tunisian diplomat Hedi Annabi (French: Hédi Annabi), about 300 more people are listed as missing. The UN mission was created in Haiti in 2004 after unrest in that country. The mission consists of 9,000 people, mostly soldiers and police. Employees of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs who were part of the mission were not injured during the earthquake.

Among the dead is the organizer of many charitable programs for disadvantaged children, Brazilian pediatrician Zilda Arns. Also killed were Archbishop of Port-au-Prince Joseph Serge Miot, opposition leader Michel Gaillard and former Canadian MP Serge Marcel. The death of Haitian Justice Minister Paul Denis was reported, but his death was subsequently not confirmed. Among the dead were citizens of Argentina, Brazil, China, Jordan, the Vatican and other countries.

Water pipelines in the city were destroyed, and there were problems with access to fresh water. The roads were blocked by rubble. Cases of looting were recorded in the city. The corpses of the dead were piled on the sidewalks and roadsides and transported by truck to the central hospital, where 1,500 corpses had accumulated at the morgue. The prison building was damaged and prisoners fled.

Presidential Palace after the earthquake

Destroyed city center of Port-au-Prince

Residents of Port-au-Prince look at a body recovered from the rubble of a school

Destruction in the port of Port-au-Prince

A Haitian man emerges from a destroyed restaurant.

Spontaneous tent cities are popping up everywhere as local residents are afraid to return to their homes

Rescue work

-January 14

After the earthquake, only the Argentine field hospital under the UN mission continued to operate. All other hospitals were destroyed or damaged by the earthquake. The hospital could not cope with the huge number of wounded. More than 800 wounded were operated on. The seriously wounded were flown by helicopter to Santo Domingo, the capital of the neighboring Dominican Republic. In the absence of heavy equipment, people tried to clear the rubble with their hands and improvised means.

According to a BBC correspondent who was at the scene, in one of the hospitals and next to it there were more than a hundred corpses piled right in the corridors, which created an unbearable smell. Directly there, many wounded people had accumulated, waiting for help, and a handful of doctors tried to help them. People with severe injuries waited for their turn for hours without receiving any first aid, including children.

Countries that sent rescuers, medical personnel and/or provided financial and humanitarian assistance to Haiti.

The arrival of cargo and rescue teams was hampered by the fact that the airport could not cope with the large number of arriving aircraft, and there was also not enough fuel to refuel them. Port-au-Prince's port facilities were heavily damaged by the earthquake, making it difficult to unload ships. The country's roads were damaged by rubble and filled with refugees. All this slowed down the start of rescue work, while the period in which it was still possible to extract people from the rubble was expiring.

January 15

The Haitian Red Cross estimated on that day that the earthquake killed between 45,000 and 50,000 people.

Delivery of aid to Haiti continued to be difficult. Residents of Port-au-Prince reported that they had not yet seen any real help, despite information on the radio about its arrival.

To clear the rubble, the US armed forces were sent to the scene of the disaster: 3,500 soldiers and 2,200 marines.

In the morning, Moscow time, the last plane carrying Russian rescuers landed in the Dominican Republic. After some time, they pulled out two people from under the rubble - a man and a woman. Both cellular and wired communications are intermittent on the island, there is no electricity, and there are problems with coordinating the actions of the authorities.

According to a BBC correspondent in Port-au-Prince, Haitians who survived the earthquake were dying en masse from an acute lack of clean water, food, medicine and medical care. So many bodies of the dead accumulated on the streets that bulldozers began to remove them. There was a growing feeling of anger and despair among local residents. Due to the decomposition of thousands of corpses and unsanitary conditions, there is a danger of a mass epidemic. People in the city cover their noses with cloth because of the smell of decomposition. The screams of the victims can still be heard from under the ruins. In the absence of heavy equipment, city residents are trying to clear away the rubble with their hands. Repeated tremors of low magnitude occurred; people are afraid to enter the remaining houses and spend the night on the street.

According to the country's president, 7,000 corpses were buried in mass graves. There have been reports that in some places, residents who are not receiving assistance are creating roadblocks with corpses in protest.

More planes wanted to land at the airport than the ground services could handle and relieve. UN food warehouses in the city were looted. Representatives of the Brazilian army offered to provide security for the convoys with help to avoid their looting.

US President Barack Obama pledged $100 million in aid to Haiti.

The disaster also forced Cuba and the United States to compromise. American authorities have received permission from Cuba to allow military transport planes to fly through its territory to evacuate earthquake survivors, which shortens the route between the United States and Haiti by an hour and a half.

January 16

According to data given on this day, about 140 thousand people died as a result of the disaster, another 3 million remain without water and food. Due to the incessant heat, the corpses under the rubble are decomposing, which significantly aggravates the situation. The UN estimates the damage at $500 million. The next day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are scheduled to arrive.

Haiti's interior minister said about 50,000 bodies had already been buried and that the total death toll could be "between 100 and 200 thousand." It is estimated that between 30% and 50% of buildings in the capital were destroyed. Armed looters appeared in the city, and 4,000 criminals fled from the destroyed prison. It is reported that people rob each other and take away food, others leave the city in search of food and food, those who are unable to do this die right on the street from lack of water, food and from wounds. The US Army refused to drop food and water packages from the air, as it believed this could lead to unrest.

At Port-au-Prince airport, taken under control of the US army, 200 planes land daily. These are mainly US Army aircraft that are engaged in the delivery of troops and equipment and the evacuation of US and foreign citizens from the country. At the same time, planes from other countries and charitable organizations carrying humanitarian aid are not allowed to land, many of them are redirected to Santo Domingo airport.

Rescuers managed to extract dozens of people from the rubble, but the bodies of tens of thousands of people may be buried under the rubble.

Distribution of aid and rescue efforts continue to be complicated by blockages on the roads, problems with communications, power supply, lack of fuel for trucks, looting and lack of coordination between various organizations.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from Haiti who were in America at the time of the disaster will be able to remain in the US with the right to work for at least 18 months. They also plan to make it easier for relatives to transfer money to Haiti.

January 17

5 people were rescued from the rubble. There are still problems getting aid to those in need. Just a mile from the airport, in a nursing home, people are reported to be dying of hunger and dehydration. US Army helicopters deliver humanitarian aid from Port-au-Prince airport by air. At the same time, the distribution of water and food is poorly organized. He is simply thrown into the crowd. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Haiti. He visited the earthquake survivors' camp near the presidential palace. The crowd greeted him with shouts of “Where is the food?” and “Where is the help?” Cases of looting continue in the city. Two looters were killed by the police.

Brazil, France and charities accuse the US of preventing the US military from allowing aid and rescue planes to land after taking control of the airport in Port-au-Prince. Planes circle the airport for hours or are diverted to the Dominican Republic. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has accused the US of a “hidden occupation” of Haiti. In his opinion, the United States should send not troops to the country, but aid and hospitals.

January 18

The EU announced it would provide Haiti with about 600 million euros in aid.

The US Navy ship USS Bataan arrived in Haiti with 2,200 Marines on board. The ship has heavy equipment for clearing debris, 12 helicopters and medical equipment. American rescuers said 10 people were pulled from the rubble on Sunday, and about 70 people have been rescued in total over the past few days.

About 70,000 people killed in the earthquake have already been buried. In Port-au-Prince, riots and incidents of looting continue, the population is deprived of the most necessary things. US and UN troops dispersed Haitians crowded at the airport gates using rubber batons.

International charities say Haitians continue to die as rescue efforts are poorly organized and chaos reigns on the ground. The Americans, in particular, are blamed for the current situation. Hundreds of preventable deaths could result from poor management and safety issues.

The situation with food and medicine is becoming more and more tense. For food and gasoline, people line up in lines of many kilometers, in which they are ready to tear each other to pieces. New drugs are delivered very slowly. The corpses are left literally 200 meters from hospitals so that they cannot be seen, but the smell of corpse decomposition cannot be hidden.

January 19

The US Army has begun dropping containers of water and food from military aircraft, despite having previously balked at such tactics for fear it would cause unrest. Military aircraft reportedly dropped 14,000 meals and 15,000 liters of water northeast of Port-Au-Prince. The US Army is set to continue dropping aid containers in various areas of Haiti. US paratroopers took control of the area of the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince. French minister Alain Joindet said the US was "occupying" Haiti and demanded the UN clarify US powers. US forces spokesman Colonel Kane said that this was not an invasion, but a rescue operation.

The Haitian government and president work in a police station near Port-Au-Prince airport. Commercial activity appeared on the streets of the city, food began to be sold, although prices were 2 times higher than before the earthquake.

Security problems continue to be reported. But one Western doctor working at Port-Au-Prince's central hospital said there were absolutely no security concerns and that false and rumored reports of potential looting and rioting were only slowing down care. In his opinion, false reports of security problems are caused by racism. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended that the Security Council send another 3.5 thousand peacekeepers to Haiti to assist police and troops in the fight against looters. Theft and robbery have reached unprecedented levels:

The only trade that exists here is looting.
Everything is used as a weapon - a saw, a stick and, of course, all sorts of machetes and firearms that are worn under clothes.
People's patience is running out, but all the ingredients of violence are there: a city full of desperate people, with a significant criminal element, as well as a tradition of violence. In this light, Haiti's prospects look alarming.

Many countries intend to make it easier and faster for their citizens to adopt Haitian orphans. Even before the earthquake, there were about 380,000 orphans in Haiti. .

On January 19, a special charity music disc “ Music for Relief: Download to Donate for Haiti"with songs by such artists as: Alanis Morissette, The All-American Rejects, Dave Matthews Band, Enrique Iglesias, Hoobastank, Kenna, Linkin Park, Lupe Fiasco, Peter Gabriel, Slash.

Charity telethon in favor of victims

Also, more than 110 celebrities communicated live over the phone with callers. These include Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Penelope Cruz, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Ringo Starr and many others.

This show was broadcast almost all over the world:

Internet: YouTube, CNN.com Live, Bebo, etc.
North America: USA (on 32 channels simultaneously (including Comedy Central and the Weather Channel), not counting Internet broadcasting), Canada (on 7 channels)
Latin America (12 TV channels)
Western Europe: Austria, Belgium (on 4 channels), France (on 2 channels), Germany (on 4 channels), Ireland (on 9 channels), Italy, Netherlands (on 7 channels), Portugal, UK (on 8 channels)
Scandinavia: Denmark (on 2 channels), Finland, Norway (on 3 channels), Sweden (on 5 channels)
Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Georgia (on Imedi and Rustavi 2 channels), Russia (on MTV Russia channel), Czech Republic, Hungary (on 3 channels), Macedonia (on 4 channels), Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine
Asia: Hong Kong (on 2 channels), India, Indonesia, Israel (on 5 channels), Turkey (on 4 channels)

March 31

On March 31, donor countries and international charities decided to allocate $9.9 billion for the reconstruction of earthquake-stricken Haiti. In the next 24 months, $5.3 billion of these funds will be allocated to Haiti. About 50 countries have expressed their readiness to allocate $9.9 billion “over the next three years and beyond.” This amount is more than twice the amount of necessary assistance announced by the government of the island nation. Haitian authorities previously said they expect to receive $3.8 billion from donors over the next two years.

The role of amateur radio

With the destruction of the infrastructure necessary for the functioning of traditional means of communication, amateur radio communications provided invaluable assistance in coordinating rescue efforts in Haiti.

Notes

"AiF North-West". Earthquake in Haiti killed more than 222.5 thousand people
Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION Archived June 3, 2011 on the Wayback Machine
Earthquake Center, USGS Earthquake List for 10-degree Map Centered at 20°N, 75°W (undefined) . Earthquake Hazards Program. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 16, 2010. Archived April 15, 2012.
Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION Archived January 15, 2010.
Romero, Simon, Robbins, Liz. Quake Rocks Haiti, Causing Widespread Damage, The New York Times(12 January 2010). Retrieved January 13, 2010.
Haitian palace collapses(English) (unavailable link). The Straits Times (13 January 2010). Retrieved February 16, 2010. Archived September 11, 2012.
Haiti earthquake: News updates The story of a hospital in Haiti BBC 14/1/2010
The President of Haiti announced the estimated number of earthquake victims (undefined) . lenta.ru (January 14, 2010). Retrieved February 16, 2010. Archived April 15, 2012.
The number of victims in Haiti may exceed one hundred thousand (undefined) . BBC Russian Service (January 13, 2010). Retrieved February 16, 2010. Archived April 15, 2012.
The death toll of UN employees in Haiti has risen to 49, RIA Novosti (January 20, 2010).
Caribbean shock Archived copy from January 24, 2010 on the Wayback Machine New Izvestia
Haiti Earthquake, the Day After from UN Dispatch Archived January 17, 2010.
The head of the country's Catholics was killed in an earthquake in Haiti.
Boschafter: Mehrere Minister unter den Toten (German)
Bodies pile up as Haiti rescuers struggle Independent 14/1/2010
Only one hospital still active in Haiti
BBC
Israeli assistance in overcoming the consequences of the earthquake in Haiti
Relief effort intensifies in quake-hit Haiti
Haiti Relief Effort Faces ‘Major Challenge’ New York Times 1/14/2010
Haitian survivors die from lack of aid BBC 15/1/2010
Obama promised large-scale rescue operation in Haiti, BBC Russian Service (January 15, 2010).
The transfer of rescuers from the Russian Federation to Haiti will be completed in the coming hours, RIAN (January 15, 2010).
Haiti does not have time to bury the dead and save the survivors, Vesti.ru (January 15, 2010).
Rescue workers race against time to stem tide of tragedy in Haiti CNN 15/1/2010
Haiti earthquake: Looting starts as frustration and anger boils over Guardisn 15/1/2010
Rescuers Race to Find Survivors in Haiti as U.S. Troops Work to Speed Aid Flow New York Times 1/15/2010
Despair as bottlenecks hamper aid Independent 15/1/2010
Russian rescuers extract the wounded from the rubble in Haiti, RBC (January 15, 2010).
Humanitarian organizations in France collected 6.5 million euros to help Haiti, RIA Novosti (January 15, 2010).

The major earthquake in Haiti in 2010 became the largest disaster of the 21st century. Pictures from the scene are still horrifying today - much of the capital Port-au-Prince lay in ruins. Not only houses were destroyed, but almost all hospitals, buildings of several ministries, the cathedral, the National Palace and the Christophe Hotel, where representatives of the UN mission in Port-au-Prince lived. Despite the relatively small localization, in terms of its destructive consequences and number of victims, the earthquake can be considered one of the most global disasters of the last century.

A fateful day for the capital of Haiti - Port-au-Prince

The earthquake in Haiti occurred on January 12, 2010. The epicenter of the disaster was located just fifteen kilometers from the capital of the island, Port-au-Prince, and the central point of the earthquake was at a depth of thirteen kilometers. As a result of activity at the junction of the Caribbean and North American lithospheric plates, a main shock with a magnitude of 7.0 and many repeated ones were recorded, 15 of which were more than 5.0 in magnitude.

Almost a third of the state's population lived in the city, so the large-scale disaster was a serious blow to Haiti.

The tragic situation did not end with the earthquake itself and the elimination of the consequences of the natural disaster. Social disasters, lack of funding and other misfortunes became chronic for the island, and it took the capital more than two years to return to more or less normal life.

First data on the disaster in Haiti

The earthquake in Haiti became the main topic of most international media for a long time after the event. The president of the affected state made his first statement regarding the disaster the day after the earthquake. Rene Preval said that, according to preliminary data, about 30 thousand people became victims of the natural disaster. The Prime Minister of Haiti announced a large figure - about 100 thousand dead or more.

Start of rescue operations

On January 12, an earthquake occurred in Haiti; rescue efforts began immediately and for the first few hours were carried out exclusively by internal forces of the state. Only one hospital remained, where the military, doctors and surviving citizens took the wounded and dead. A BBC correspondent who was at the scene said that the corpses were piled right in the hospital corridors or on the sidewalks, and the seriously wounded waited for hours for help from doctors.

First aid began arriving in Haiti on January 13. About 37 countries, including Russia, sent rescue teams, medicines, food and other essential goods to the island. Later, several more states joined them. The wounded began to be flown by helicopter to Santo Domingo, the capital of the neighboring Dominican Republic. The start of rescue work was hampered by the fact that the island's infrastructure was destroyed as a result of the earthquake: the port was badly damaged, unloading ships was difficult, there was not enough fuel for refueling, the airport could not cope with the influx of planes and helicopters, the roads were filled with piles of rubble, refugees, dead and wounded .

On January 15, bulldozers began removing corpses from the streets. The earthquake in Haiti (photo above in the first days after the event) provoked a humanitarian catastrophe. Three million people left homeless lacked food and clean water, and many died from hunger, thirst and unsanitary conditions. Food warehouses, shops and government buildings were looted, anarchy reigned in the city, and cases of looting were recorded.

Information about the dead and injured

On January 16, it became known that about 140 thousand people died from the disaster; most of the capital’s population was left without housing and food. On the same day, the President of Haiti said that 40-50 thousand people had already been buried in mass graves, and the total number of victims could reach 200 thousand. According to various estimates, up to 50% of buildings in the capital were destroyed, including government buildings, hospitals, and the central prison. After the earthquake, Haiti was gripped by panic and anarchy, and armed groups of marauders appeared. Rescue efforts and the delivery of humanitarian aid continued to be complicated by destruction, communication problems, lack of coordination between different groups and problems with the supply of fuel.

International assistance and delivery of humanitarian goods

First, groups of military, rescue and medical personnel were sent to Haiti directly to rescue people from the rubble and provide medical assistance. Help was provided not only by the governments of many states, but also by individual famous individuals, large companies and organizations.

International cooperation, which was uncoordinated in the early days, did much to save most of the survivors from starvation, looting and poor sanitation. But the problems with delivery were enormous, even if we did not take into account the destroyed infrastructure. In Haiti, huge queues are forming for food, medicine, fuel and other essential goods, and looting is rampant.

Riots caused by food supply disruptions

The earthquake in Haiti caused riots and real anarchy, which persisted in the capital for several weeks. People spent the night on the streets, wary of aftershocks; the screams of the wounded were heard from under the rubble for several days, and the dead were simply piled on the side of the roads. The rescue efforts were complicated by panic. In addition, among the island's population there is a widespread belief in magic and witchcraft: a local voodoo priest, a few days after the disaster, said that the corpses buried in mass graves would soon begin to come to life. Of course, the psychological state of the population deteriorated significantly from such a statement from a respected person.

On January 19, American armed forces took control of the central area of the capital, where the earthquake occurred. In Haiti, the disaster required a solution, otherwise even more people could have died. Theft and armed attacks have reached unprecedented levels.

Accusations against the US for the invasion of Haiti

During the rescue operations, US paratroopers, as already mentioned, took control of the area of the Presidential Palace (the president himself and the administration worked in a police station near the airport). France then accused the United States of occupying Haiti and demanded that the UN explain to the United States the powers of its military in the disaster zone. A representative of the US forces responded by saying that this was not an occupation, but a rescue operation. The situation was resolved successfully, because Haiti still needed active international assistance to resolve the situation, and its own doctors, rescuers and military were not enough.

Repeated earthquake

Nine days after the devastating disaster, on January 21, 2010, a second earthquake occurred in Haiti (the year generally became catastrophic for the state). As expected, panic arose in the city, but the 6-magnitude tremors did not provoke any new destruction or casualties.

The rescue operation after the second earthquake continued as usual.

Why do earthquakes occur frequently in Haiti? This question was raised from the pages of influential international media, which attracted experts to determine where the disaster would happen next. However, the answer is extremely simple - the island is located at the junction of two lithospheric plates. The state is located in an active seismic zone, and small magnitude earthquakes occur there constantly.

Return to normal life

The food situation stabilized a little only by January 20th. In a few stores, products at twice the prices and clean water began to appear. Some of the rubble has not been cleared even two years after the disaster.

In the photo above, for example, a shoe seller stands against the background of the rubble of a building on January 9, 2012.

At the same time, the state is trying to continue living as usual. Over time, the presidency and central office of government were restored, and the UN mission in Haiti was resumed (representatives of the United Nations have been present on the island since the 2004 unrest). The ordinary population has returned to more or less acceptable living conditions, but the capital of Haiti will no longer be the same as it was before the earthquake - the disaster caused too many casualties.

The photo below shows posters with the faces of those killed in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince.

The photo was taken in 2012.

Final assessment of earthquake damage

As of March 18, 2010, official data were published, according to which the number of victims of the disaster in Haiti amounted to 222 thousand 570 people. 311 thousand citizens were injured of varying degrees of severity, and 869 people were listed as missing. Material damage was estimated at 5.6 billion euros.

During the disaster, UN representatives were killed, including the head of the organization's mission in Haiti, a famous Brazilian pediatrician, an organizer of charitable programs for children, the archbishop of the capital, the Haitian Minister of Justice and an opposition leader.

The situation in Haiti in 2010: earthquake, hurricane, riots and cholera epidemic

Haiti suffered several more disasters after the earthquake. In October 2010, a cholera epidemic began, which was complicated by a lack of medicine and the incompletely eliminated consequences of the January 12 disaster. Four and a half thousand people died from cholera, the number of infected is in the tens of thousands.

The epidemic was aggravated by Hurricane Thomas, which took the lives of 20 citizens and provoked severe floods, riots during the presidential elections and the persecution of “witches” and “sorcerers”, who are responsible for all the disasters in Haiti, according to the population.

The humanitarian situation is still largely unstabilized.

What is the situation in Haiti now, almost 7 years after the earthquake?

There is still a long way to go before Haiti's humanitarian situation is fully stabilized. The state was recently hit by Hurricane Matthew and a number of new epidemics. On top of everything - political instability, low living standards, regular strikes and rallies, riots and clashes with representatives of the UN mission. The situation in Haiti remains dire.

According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was 222,570 people, 311 thousand people were injured, and 869 people were missing. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.