What we know about the earthquake in Haiti

What happened?

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday morning, stronger than the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the Caribbean country in 2010. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake struck five miles from the town of Petit Trou de Nippes in the western part of the country, about 80 miles west of Port-au-Prince, the capital. Seismologists said it was seven miles deep. It was felt as far as Jamaica, 200 miles away.

The US Tsunami Warning Center reported a tsunami threat because of Saturday’s earthquake, saying “tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts.”

Which regions of Haiti have been affected?

Two towns, Les Cayes and Jérémie, located on Haiti’s southern peninsula, reported major devastation with people trapped under rubble and collapsed buildings. Telephone lines were cut in Petit Trou de Nippes, the epicenter of the earthquake. No news immediately emerged from this city, leaving Haitian officials to fear the worst. The extent of the damage and casualties is not yet known.

What does this mean for the country?

This earthquake could not have come at the worst time for Haiti, which is still recovering from a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 that killed more than 220,000 people and razed much of Port-au-Prince. . The southern peninsula, where the earthquake struck, is also still recovering from Hurricane Matthew, which hit the country in 2016.

The country of 11 million people is also recovering from political unrest. Haiti has been in the throes of a political crisis since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated July 7 and the government is not financially equipped to pay for the repairs.