Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in New York, Felix Augustin, said that more than 100,000 people may have died as a result of Tuesday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti. According to Red Cross, about 3 million people, one-third of Haiti’s population, were affected by the quake. President Rene Garcia Preval believes thousands were killed but he said that there are no official reports as of now regarding the exact number of injured and dead people.
The magnitude 7.0 quake, which is the considered as the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century, struck shortly before 5 p.m. and was centered about 10 km (10 miles) southwest of Port-au-Prince. After the devastating 7.0-magnitude quake, two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude quickly followed.
Hospitals, schools, cathedrals, and thousands of houses were destroyed. Big establisments were also destroyed including the parliament office, tax office, foreign ministry office, and the president’s palace. The main prison in the capital fell down as well and there are reports of escaped inmates.
It was also reported that the head of U.N. peacekeeping mission was missing and the Roman Catholic archbishop of Port-au-Prince is dead. Haiti’s Senate President was trapped alive inside the Parliament building and the U.N. peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said that at least 14 U.N. personnel were killed and 150 were still unaccounted for, including mission chief Hedi Annab.
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PHOTO CREDIT: huffingtonpost.com
Topics: earthquake, Felix Augustin, Haiti, news, Red Cross, Rene Preval
