A powerful earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday morning, resulting in at least 304 fatalities and severe damage in the southwest of the island, recalling painful memories of the devastating earthquake in 2010. The earthquake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, hit Haiti around 8:30 AM (12:30 UTC), about 12 km from the city of Saint-Louis du Sud, which is 160 km from the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake caused the collapse of churches, shops, homes, and buildings, leaving hundreds trapped under the rubble. Residents continue to rescue victims trapped beneath the debris, often without special equipment, with civil protection praising their efforts, stating that "initial intervention operations... allowed many to be pulled from the rubble, while hospitals continue to receive the injured."
Civil protection officials reported that the death toll from the earthquake has risen to at least 304, along with hundreds of injured and missing individuals, after a previous tally indicated 227 fatalities. Jerry Chandler, head of civil protection, stated in a press conference on Saturday evening, "We have recorded the deaths of 160 people in the south, 42 in the Nippes region, 100 in the Grand'Anse region, and two in the northwest."
By Saturday afternoon, Chandler informed AFP that three health centers in Bestil, Corail, and Roseau had reached maximum capacity. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced that "the government declared a state of emergency for one month following this disaster," urging residents to "embody the spirit of solidarity" and not to succumb to panic. The Prime Minister is expected to head to the area with a delegation of relevant officials in the coming hours to "assess the overall situation."
In Washington, President Joe Biden offered U.S. assistance, stating in a press release, "I was saddened by the devastating earthquake that struck Saint-Louis du Sud in Haiti this morning," emphasizing that preparations were underway for an "immediate American response" to "assess the damage" and assist the injured. A White House official, who did not want to be identified, told reporters that Biden "authorized an immediate U.S. response and assigned Samantha Power, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), to coordinate this effort."
**Collapse of Hotel and Homes**
On Haiti's southern coast, the multi-story "Le Manguier" hotel in Les Cayes completely collapsed. The body of the hotel's owner, a former senator in Haiti, Gabriel Fortuny, was recovered from the rubble, according to witnesses. The Prime Minister later confirmed his death. The quake was felt throughout the country, with the city of Jeremie, home to over 200,000 residents in the southwestern tip of the peninsula, sustaining significant damage, primarily affecting single-story homes.
Resident Job Joseph stated, "The roof of the cathedral collapsed. The main street is closed... this is where all of the city's economic activity is concentrated." Tamas Jean-Pierre reported, "People went crazy. Parents carried their children and left the city after rumors of a tsunami spread." The U.S. Geological Survey issued a tsunami warning after the earthquake, which was quickly revoked.
Jeremie, known as the City of Poets, is relatively isolated from the rest of the country, as the national road that crosses the island has not yet been completed. Cristela Saint Hilaire, 21, who lives near the epicenter, recounted, "I was inside my house when it started shaking. I was near the window and saw everything fall." She added, "A piece of the wall fell on my back, but I wasn’t seriously injured," noting that "several houses were completely destroyed."
**Painful Memories of 2010**
Witnesses described the rubble of many concrete buildings, including a church that appeared to be hosting a religious celebration on Saturday morning in an area 200 km southwest of Port-au-Prince. The poorest country in the Americas still remembers the earthquake of January 12, 2010, which devastated the capital and numerous cities. On that day, more than 200,000 people died, and over 300,000 others were injured, in addition to displacing one and a half million residents. Over ten years after this devastating earthquake, Haiti, which is mired in a severe social and political crisis, has been unable to confront the challenge of rebuilding.
