Port-au-Prince– A report by Haitian officials, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake slammed southern Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 2,207 people and wounding over 12,200 others. The earthquake occurred at 8:29 a.m. local time (12:29 p.m. ET) and was centered around 10 miles (16 km) west of Petit Trou de Nippes, near the Dominican Republic border.
The earthquake occurred in the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring places. It caused considerable devastation, including building collapses, traffic closures, and bridge collapse. Many individuals are still missing, and the death toll is expected to rise.
The Haitian government has declared an emergency and asked for international assistance. The United States, Canada, and others have committed to aiding Haiti.
This is the latest in a string of natural calamities that have struck Haiti recently. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake killed over 200,000 people and displaced millions more in 2010.
Hurricane Matthew wreaked severe devastation and killed over 500 people in 2016.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and it is rebuilding following the 2010 earthquake. The recent earthquake is a big blow to the country and will almost certainly exacerbate the humanitarian issue.
The United Nations has created a coordination headquarters in Port-au-Prince to handle the relief effort. The WHO has sent a team of professionals to Haiti to assess the situation and provide medical assistance. The United States has sent a team of disaster professionals to Haiti to help in search and rescue efforts.
The earthquake is a disaster for the Haitians. The world community must unite to assist the country in its recovery from this calamity.