Earthquake kills at least 227 people in Haiti.
On August 14th, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake killed at least 227 people and reduced churches, hotels, and homes to rubble in Haiti.
An earthquake, followed by a series of strong tremors, struck southwestern Haiti on the morning of August 14th, 150 km from the capital, Port-au-Prince. Initial reports from the Haitian Civil Protection Agency indicate that at least 227 people have died and many more have been injured, while numerous buildings have collapsed or suffered extensive damage.
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Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry declared a month-long state of emergency to address the aftermath of the earthquake. The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning after the earthquake but later lifted it. U.S. President Joe Biden immediately appointed Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, as coordinator for the earthquake response.
The earthquake in Haiti occurred more than a month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise at his home. Meanwhile, the country's citizens are facing famine and healthcare services are struggling due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Haiti suffered a 7-magnitude earthquake in 2010 that killed hundreds of thousands of people, and the damage from this earthquake has yet to be fully recovered.