SUMMARY
- A magnitude 4.9 earthquake rattles the southern parts of Haiti, causing four fatalities and injuring thirty-six others.
- Rescue efforts persist in the face of collapsed infrastructure and panic, with victims rescued from the rubble and injured children hospitalized.
- The quake follows a series of smaller seismic activities in the region and a history of significant earthquakes, with recovery efforts still ongoing from previous disasters.
In the early hours of Tuesday, the southern parts of Haiti were jolted by an earthquake of an initial magnitude of 4.9. The calamitous event claimed the lives of at least four individuals while leaving thirty-six others severely injured, as per official reports.
The epicenter of this seismic event was identified near the southwestern coastal city of Jeremie. The tremors were experienced at a depth of approximately ten kilometers, as documented by the U.S. Geological Survey. Eric Mpitabakana, an official with the World Food Program based in Jeremie, narrated his harrowing experience to The Associated Press, stating that he feared his residence would crumble over him.
The quake led to the devastation of at least two houses and impeded a critical pathway connecting the cities of Jeremie and Les Cayes, as informed by Haiti's Civil Protection Agency. A tragic event unfolded when three victims were discovered beneath the ruins of a collapsed house, with search efforts for more survivors still underway. It was also reported that panic-driven stampedes left several children injured, necessitating immediate hospitalization.
Witnessing the collapse of a house, an agitated crowd hurried to locate survivors beneath the wreckage, successfully rescuing one individual who was found ensnared in the debris. Recounting the terrifying incident, Mpitabakana mentioned the widespread panic and chaos in the streets and expressed a potential plan to spend the nights outdoors due to the fear of possible aftershocks.
This tremor trails a sequence of smaller quakes that have occurred earlier this year in the same region, culminating in this more significant event. Haiti is no stranger to such disasters. The Caribbean nation still bears the scars of a devastating 7.2 magnitude quake that occurred almost two years ago, claiming more than 2,200 lives. Sadly, some of the victims from the previous disaster are yet to secure a proper housing situation. Haiti is in a state of continuous struggle, wrestling with the aftermath of recent floods that claimed 51 lives, injured 140, and rendered nearly 31,600 homes uninhabitable.
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