A strong earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale jolted southern Haiti on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said. thez Contrary to the first reports The earthquake claimed many lives and many buildings collapsed.
a CNN More than 300 people were killed in the earthquake and more than 1,800 were injured. Among the victims were children. The authorities fear that the number of deaths will increase dramatically. However, the previously requested tsunami warning was lifted soon after.
Ariel Henry The Prime Minister declared a state of emergency for a month. Washington promised quick aid to the Caribbean nation. Samantha PowersThe head of the United States Office for International Development (USAID) said on Twitter that their experts are already on site to assess damage and needs.
According to the US Geological Institute, the quake’s nest was at a depth of 10 kilometers in the Petite Trou de Nieps region, 150 kilometers west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. A number of collapsed buildings were reported from the nearby town of Les Cayes, which has a population of about 126,000, including churches and residences. Several aftershocks have occurred, the situation is further complicated by the fact that a storm is approaching the island towards it.
Haiti is often hit by strong earthquakes. The 2010 earthquake almost completely destroyed the country. The epicenter at that time was the densely populated capital, Port-au-Prince. The 2010 earthquake killed 222,000 people and displaced more than a million people. An earthquake of magnitude 7 also shook, Saturday, the Alaska Peninsula. No material damages were reported.
Source: MTI, CNN
