The earth shook again in Haiti. There are numerous victims, many buildings have been destroyed. Interim Prime Minister Henry declares a state of emergency. Memories of the devastating earthquake in 2010.
Saint-Louis-du-Sud – At least 304 people were killed in a major earthquake in southern Haiti. More than 1,800 people were injured, as the country’s civil protection department reported on Twitter on Saturday evening (local time).
In addition, numerous buildings were destroyed. Rescue workers and citizens rescued numerous people from the rubble. More victims are feared.
The quake, the strength of which the US agency USGS stated as 7.2, occurred on Saturday morning around twelve kilometers from the municipality of Saint-Louis-du-Sud at a depth of around ten kilometers. After that, Haiti was shaken by several aftershocks, which, according to the USGS, reached strengths of up to 5.2. The quake brings back memories of the devastating earthquake in 2010, in which more than 220,000 people were killed.
People under rubble
The US National Weather Service (NOAA) initially issued a tsunami warning – but withdrew it a short time later. Many buildings were destroyed by the quake, as can be seen on photos and videos on social networks. People were reportedly buried under rubble, and hospitals were overloaded and damaged. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) sent a team of experts.
Search and rescue work by the International Red Cross focused on the area around the particularly affected cities of Jérémie and Les Cayes, because people could still be trapped there. The organization also sent emergency specialists. Relief supplies for at least 4,500 people are available. In addition, emergency supplies are held and made available in Panama and the Caribbean.
Interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he visited the Grand ‘Anse Department and flew over the city of Les Cayes to get an idea of the extent of the damage. He declared a month-long emergency. The Organization of American States (OAS), Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, and the United States offered assistance.
“The United States remains a close and constant friend to the Haitian people, and we will be there after this tragedy,” said US President Joe Biden in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to all those who have lost a loved one or whose homes and businesses have been destroyed”.
Already devastated in 2010
The federal government called for the affected areas in the southwest of the island state to be avoided. “Numerous fatalities and injuries as well as severe damage to buildings and infrastructure must be expected. There are still strong aftershocks, ”warned the Foreign Office on Saturday evening. “Avoid the affected area,” it said in the travel and safety information. Travel to Haiti has been strongly discouraged for a long time.
Parts of the poor Caribbean state of Haiti had already been devastated by a severe earthquake in 2010. At the time, Haiti’s densely populated capital, Port-au-Prince, was at the center of the quake. 222,000 people died and more than 300,000 were injured. More than a million people lost their homes.
Reconstruction got off to a slow start, also due to the political instability. The desperately poor Caribbean state of Haiti is repeatedly plagued by crises. President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July. He was ambushed and shot dead by a heavily armed commando at his residence. dpa
