Casualty figures are rising in the 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Haiti at 8:30am local time at a depth of around 10km on Saturday.
Haiti’s Civil Protection, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reports at least 304 deaths and 1,800 injured.
The epicentre was recorded around 12km northeast of SaintLouis-du-Sud, about 125km west of the capital Port-au-Prince.
Initial reports indicate more than 700 collapsed buildings, including hospitals and schools, at least 3,778 homes destroyed and significant damages to infrastructure and roads.
Severe humanitarian access constraints and fragile security situation greatly complicate the humanitarian response in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry declared a onemonth national state of emergency. Government has requested specific international assistance for urban search-andrescue, stating that additional support will not be requested until the extent of damages is known.
USAID is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to support damage and needs assessments in coordination with the Government and humanitarian partners.
Government and UN partners are working closely to conduct post-impact damage and needs assessments and to activate rapid response mechanisms.
Fast-approaching Tropical Storm Grace is expected to reach Haiti between 16 and 17 August, potentially exposing an already vulnerable population to a double impact in a matter of days.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
At 8:30am (GMT-4) on August 14, a strong, shallow earthquake rocked southwestern Haiti just 12km northeast of SaintLouis du Sud, about 125 kilometers west of the capital Port-au-Prince.
The 7.2-magnitude quake, which was 10km deep, toppled buildings and homes and damaged infrastructure and roads, cutting off access to some roads in the southwest, such as national road 7 (RN#7) which connects Les Cayes and Jeremie, and forcing many to flee their homes in fear that they may collapse.
While preliminary assessments are still in their very early stages, the Haitian Civil Protection General Directorate (DGPC) reports more than 700 collapsed buildings, including hospitals, schools and churches, and 2,410 destroyed homes in the department of Nippes and 1,368 in Grand’Anse, forcing at least 470 people to seek refuge in shelters, with thousands more thought to be displaced.
DGPC also reports at least 304 dead and around 1,800 more injured, figures likely to increase significantly in the coming hours and days as more are still missing.
Despite its strength and depth, the quake is likely less catastrophic than that of 2010, the worst disaster in the country’s history, which left more than 300,000 people dead and 1.5 million others injured.
The Sud, Grand’Anse and Nippes departments, particularly the cities of Les Cayes, Jeremie and Anse à Veaux, were hardest hit, suffering extensive damage and destruction to buildings and homes, while in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes downed phone lines have left the city out of contact.
In Port-au-Prince, the earthquake was strongly felt but no major damages have been reported so far. The US Tsunami Warning System had issued a tsunami warning for the region but discontinued it shortly thereafter.
Still, flood waters spilled into the streets of Les Cayes, sparking widespread panic that led some people in coastal areas to flee toward the mountains in fear of a possible tsunami.
