A magnitude 7.2 earthquake has struck southern Haiti. The major tremor was more powerful than the 2010 quake that devastated the Caribbean nation, and caused significant damage.
The earthquake was reported early on Saturday morning, with the United States Geological Survey putting its intensity at magnitude 7.2, or “major.” The epicenter was 12km (7.5 miles) northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud, a town of more than 50,000 inhabitants.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said that “several” people died in the quake, though precise numbers of deaths and injuries remain unclear. The USGS stated that “high casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread.”
Severe damage was reported on Haiti, with images from the nearby town of Jeremie showing partially collapsed buildings and rubble-strewn streets.
First images out of #Haiti after a devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the region this morning. No tsunami threat for the United States East Coast, Gulf Coast or Caribbean Sea at this time. #earthquake@CBS12https://t.co/CG1eYSbSrx
Video from Jeremie showed thick clouds of dust filling the streets, as houses lay in ruins.
Signalement de dégâts en province particulièrement dans le Sud d’Haïti. Les premières images et vidéos de Jérémie et des Cayes montrent des destructions de maisons. pic.twitter.com/OBJssQ9rSs
Primeras imágenes de los daños en Haití por el poderoso sismo de 7.2.#TerremotoHaitípic.twitter.com/1RbxZKVl6A
Some people posting on social media reported feeling the quake as far away as Jamaica, and the US Tsunami Warning Centers issued a tsunami threat shortly afterwards. However, the threat was lifted within an hour.
The quake struck minutes after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook the Alaska Peninsula. However, the Alaskan quake hit a much more sparsely populated region, where the potential for damage was far lower.
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