“More than 5,700 people have been injured after a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake strikes the southwestern part of Haiti.”
The death toll from the devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti has risen dramatically, with at least 1,297 confirmed dead and over 5,700 injured, according to local authorities. The updated numbers come from Haiti’s civil protection office, which had previously reported 724 fatalities.
As people rushed into the streets to escape the destruction, rescue efforts intensified in the aftermath of the quake, which hit the southwestern part of the nation on Saturday. Entire towns were almost flattened, and landslides further complicated the search for survivors, particularly in two of the hardest-hit communities.
This disaster adds to the ongoing struggles of the Haitian people, who were already dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the assassination of their president, and rising gang violence. The epicenter of the earthquake was located about 78 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in an area now facing even more peril. Tropical Storm Grace is expected to reach Haiti by late Monday or early Tuesday, potentially worsening the situation with heavy rains.
