A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit near Haiti on Saturday morning killing at least 304 people and injuring many others around the country and raising fears of Tsunami.
The quake’s death toll rose to 304, Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection said in an update on Twitter, including 160 in the southern part of the country and 100 in the Grand’Anse department on its far eastern tip.
More than 1,800 are hospitalized with injuries in the three most affected departments, officials said.
The US Geological Survey is estimating “high casualties” and widespread disaster in Haiti following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake Saturday morning.
Saturday’s massive earthquake raising fears of destruction similar to the devastating 2010 quake that shattered the country. Several deaths have already been reported, official tally is yet to come.
The epicenter of the earthquake was 12 kilometers, or 7.5 miles, northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and 10 kilometers deep, according to the USGS. It struck five miles from the town of Petit-Trou-de-Nippes in the western part of the country, the survey said.
Also read |High casualties estimated after 7.2 magnitude quake hits near Haiti, State of Emergency underway
Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter.
The USGS issued a Tsunami warning immediately after the earthquake. The experts calculated the possibility of waves of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) along the coastline of Haiti. While the warning has been, reportedly, lifted now, locals have been told to exercise caution.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has approved immediate help for the grieving nation.
The president authorized an immediate U.S. response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power as the senior U.S. official to coordinate this effort.
“In what is already a challenging time for the people of Haiti, I am saddened by the devastating earthquake that occurred in Saint-Louis du Sud, Haiti this morning,” Biden said in a statement. “We send our deepest condolences to all those who lost a loved one or saw their homes and businesses destroyed.”
“Through USAID, we are supporting efforts to assess the damage and assist efforts to recover those who were injured and those who must now rebuild,” he continued. “The United States remains a close and enduring friend to the people of Haiti, and we will be there in the aftermath of this tragedy.”
“I have authorized an immediate US response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power as the senior US official to coordinate this effort,” President Biden said.
Some footages from social media:
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
