Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Kills at Least 724 in Southern Haiti

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southern and other areas of Haiti on the morning of August 14, 2021, killing at least 724 people and injuring some 2,800, according to EFE as reported by 14ymedio. The quake was registered at 8:29 a.m. about 12 kilometers from Saint-Louis du Sud, with a hypocenter 10 kilometers deep, and was also felt in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. The USGS briefly issued a tsunami warning that was later canceled and assigned the event a red alert on its human-impact scale. Five aftershocks followed, including one of magnitude 5.2 near Chantal. Preliminary figures indicated 160 dead in the South department, 100 in Grand'Anse, 42 in Nippes and 2 in the northeast, with hospitals overwhelmed. Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who took office on July 20 following the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, declared a state of emergency and said many people remained trapped under rubble, especially in hotels and places of worship. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services called for immediate shelters. The United States pledged an immediate response, while Venezuela, Chile, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Cuba offered aid. The figures are preliminary and developing.