- The death toll from the earthquake in Haiti has reached 304.
- Rescuers are trying to find survivors.
- The seismic survey is 7.2.
After the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti, rescuers are scrambling to find survivors. In this disaster-stricken Caribbean country, at least 304 people were killed, buildings collapsed, and they are still recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake.
The epicenter of the earthquake was about 160 kilometers west of the center of the densely populated capital, Port-au-Prince. Starting at 08:30 on Saturday (12:30 GMT), houses in the epicenter shook and panicked locals fled to safety.
Read | 29 dead in Haiti’s 7.2-magnitude earthquake
The civil defense agency said that churches, businesses, schools and houses collapsed in the earthquake, hundreds of victims were trapped under the rubble, and at least 1,800 people were injured.
Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors. The Civil Defense Department stated on Twitter that “the efforts of professional rescuers and the public have led to many people being rescued from the rubble,” adding that the already overwhelmed hospital continues to receive the wounded.
A few hours after the earthquake, the agency announced that the death toll had jumped to 304, starting from the initial report of 29 deaths.
The hospital was hit hard
The long initial earthquake was felt in most parts of the Caribbean, with the epicenter in the southwest peninsula of Haiti.
The Civil Defense Department stated that at least 160 people were killed in the southern part of the country alone.
Christella Saint Hilaire, 21, who lives near the epicenter, said: “Many houses were destroyed, some people died, and some people were in the hospital.”
The head of the Civil Defense Agency, Jerry Chandler, said that hospitals in the areas most affected by the earthquake are already working hard to provide emergency care, and at least three are full.
The Ministry of Health quickly dispatched personnel and medicines to the Southwest Peninsula, but their arrival may be hampered by the insecurity that has plagued the poorest country in the Americas for months.
The United States and other countries quickly pledged to support this crisis-torn country. US President Joe Biden approved “immediate” aid efforts, and Haiti’s neighboring Dominican Republic delivered 10,000 rations and medical equipment.
Their leader said on Cuban TV that a medical team of 253 Cuban doctors deployed in Haiti is going to treat the wounded and transform a Port-au-Prince hospital that has been used to treat Covid-19 patients so far.
In Ecuador, the Quito Fire Department stated that it is preparing to dispatch a team of 34 personnel specializing in urban search and rescue. Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also helped, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that Haitians “can count on Spain’s support through this terrible event”.
Screaming bystander
Tennis star Naomi Osaka’s father is Haitian, and she said she will donate prize money from the upcoming tournament to help earthquake victims.
Osaka wrote on Twitter: “It’s really uncomfortable to see all the destruction happening in Haiti. I don’t think we really can take a break.”
Images circulating on social media show people frantically trying to pull people out of the ruins of collapsed buildings, while screaming bystanders seek safety on the streets outside their homes.
“The house and its surrounding walls have collapsed. The roof of the cathedral has collapsed,” resident Job Joseph told AFP in Jeremy, the most devastated city in the westernmost part of Haiti.
According to reports, there are about 200,000 people living in the city center, mainly composed of single-story houses and buildings.
The damage in Les Cayes appears to have been severe, including the collapse of a multi-storey hotel.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry investigated the damage by helicopter, declared a state of emergency for a month, and called on the country to “show unity” instead of panic.
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