Haiti's Quake Damaged National Palace To Be Razed
Among the hundreds of buildings that crumbled in Haiti's 2010 earthquake was the National Palace. The Haitian government announced Tuesday that demolition of the National Palace will begin soon. A non-profit aid group founded by actor Sean Penn will pay the bill, though it's not clear what will replace the palace.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Haiti plans to clear away a symbol of the country's devastation. The earthquake in 2010 ruined the National Palace, one of the most spectacular buildings in Port-au-Prince.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
We've been looking at some recent photographs. They show the white building still standing, if barely. The earthquake did not knock down its elegant rows of columns. But the white dome on top was left sloping at a dangerous angle, the supporting walls half-crushed beneath its weight.
INSKEEP: Now the Haitian government says it will soon begin demolition of the building. A non-profit aid group founded by the actor Sean Penn will pay the bill, though it is not clear what will replace the palace.
GREENE: And even as they focus on rebuilding, Haitian authorities have to be aware of the possibility of another disaster. A tropical storm in the Atlantic is expected to become a hurricane, and the current forecast puts it on track to move near Haiti's capital this weekend.
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