The people of Haiti are still reeling following this weekend’s double earthquake. A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck northern Haiti on Saturday night. Then a major aftershock measuring 5.2 rattled the region again on Sunday, disrupting search and rescue efforts. At least 12 people have been reported dead, and 188 people are reported injured.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports the earthquake’s epicenter just 15.8 kilometres north-northwest of Port-de-Paix, the city hit hardest by the tremors. Other areas severely affected include Gros-Morne, Chansolme, Tortuga and Turtle Island.
On Twitter, President Jovenel Moise (who is from the region) urged for calm, asserting that “all of the republic’s resources” are being directed to recovery efforts. Welcoming the support of the international community, President Moise also said recovery efforts will be guided by Haitian authorities to avoid duplicated efforts. He confirmed that Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant “is on the scene to supervise the rescue teams and coordinate their actions.”
This marks the largest earthquake event since the devastating 2010 earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince, which caused an estimated death toll as high as over 300,000.
