Haiti seeks $2 billion for quake recovery

Six months after the earthquake in Les Cayes, the memories and scars of those who survived are still fresh in the minds of many. The severe economic and political crisis and pandemic was exacerbated by the 7.2 earthquake, which left the already impoverished southwestern part of the country worse off.

The U.S., European Union and others pledged $600 million in additional funds Wednesday to help hundreds of thousands struggling six months after a powerful earthquake struck Haiti's southern region. The pledges made during a conference held by the United Nations and Haiti's government fell short of an international push to raise $2 billion to help the country rebuild from a magnitude 7.2 quake last August.

It killed an estimated 2,200 people and destroyed or damaged more than 130,000 homes and some 1,250 schools. Amina Mohammed, a deputy U.N. secretary-general, called the $2 billion figure "daunting," but said Haiti needs international support.