Haiti: How long can people survive without water?

The situation for those who have not been found in Haiti is obviously far more severe. That’s because they could be in situation where they don’t have food and water and it brings up a very difficult question, how long can people last without food and water. As far as food is concerned, it’s not as big of an issue, because we can burn carbohydrates, and then fat and ultimately protein. So we’re in a period time where you can still do OK without food. Obviously starvation occurs, but initially there will be weakness and fatigue, but people can survive that. The real problem is fluids. If you don’t get water in 3 to 5 days you are in severe peril, and few can make it beyond that, if you throw in the fact that people could be injured or there’s intense heat, it can become an even greater problem.