Map of the epicenter
Haiti has been hit by a devastating earthquake.
According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the west coast of the country Saturday morning. Images shared on social media showed buildings reduced down to rubble.
Although the prime minister stated that it had caused "several deaths" and "enormous harm", the exact number of victims is not known.
Haiti is still recovering after the devastating earthquake of 2010, which claimed more than 200,000 lives.
The epicenter of Saturday's earthquake occurred approximately 12km (7.5 mi) from Saint-Louis du Sud.
The tremor was felt in Port-au-Prince (a densely populated capital), approximately 125km away, as well in neighboring countries.
Christella Saint Hilaire, a local resident, said that "lots of houses are destroyed, people have died, and some are at hospital."
Ariel Henry, Prime Minister, stated in a series tweets that he had mobilized a team to help with the relief effort and sent condolences for those who were hurt.
The USGS warned earlier that an earthquake could cause thousands of deaths and serious injuries.
Frantz Duval (editor-in-chief for Haiti's Le Nouvelliste newspaper) tweeted that two hotels had been destroyed in Les Cayes. He stated that the hospital in Les Cayes was overwhelmed.
He wrote, "Slowly and strongly, the earth shaken in Haiti on August 14, 2021 at 8:30 AM."
Photos posted on social media showed damage to buildings and rubble piles after the earthquake.
Gran Ri Vil Jeremie pic.twitter.com/RBPStzMOxE JCOM Hati (@JCOMHaiti) August 14, 2021
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Naomi Verneus (34-year-old Port-au-Prince resident) told the Associated Press that she was woken by an earthquake and her bed was shaking.
"I woke up without having time to put on my shoes. We survived the 2010 earthquake, and all I could do to get out of it was run. Later, I remembered that my mother and two children were still in their home. My neighbor came in and said to them that they should get out. She said, "We ran to the street."
Continue the story
The 2010 earthquake in Haiti left many people with serious injuries and deaths.
Saturday's earthquake occurs amid a political crisis in the nation, which follows the assassination last month of its president.
Haiti: The key facts. [ 11,000,000 inhabitants ], [ 59% of those living below the poverty line] [ 2004-2017 years when a UN peacekeeping force existed ], [ 200,000 people who died in the 2010 earthquake] Source: BBC Monitoring Image: People walking in a market in Port-au-Prince (Haiti), May 24, 2021
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