A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has killed an estimated 1,300 people in Haiti. The US Geological Survey reports that casualties would be "high," saying the "disaster is likely widespread."
The earthquake, which struck the Caribbean nation on Saturday morning, was about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and 10 kilometers deep.
The massive quake has decimated the country.
"There are reports of significant damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure," American Red Cross spokeswoman Katie Wilkes said.
According to the latest numbers, the death toll is estimated to be about 1,300 as rescue teams search for survivors and those who died.
“The most important thing is to recover as many people as possible under the rubble,” Prime Minister Ariel Henry told The Associated Press. “We have learned the local hospitals, in particular that of Les Cayes, are overwhelmed with wounded people.”
We still don’t know how many people are under the rubble,” he continued.
Crowds of people in the capital city of Port-au-Prince felt the tremor and poured into the streets filled with fear.
Naomi Verneus, a 34-year-old resident of Port-au-Prince, said that the earthquake was so powerful that her bed was shaking.
"I woke up and didn't have time to put my shoes on. We lived the 2010 earthquake and all I could do was run,” Verneus explained to CBS. “I later remembered my two kids and my mother were still inside. My neighbor went in and told them to get out. We ran to the street.”
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has dispatched teams to assist children and families affected by the earthquake.
"We are deeply saddened by the reports of casualties and heavy damage following the earthquake earlier today in Haiti," Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative in Haiti, said in a statement."UNICEF is working with Government and non-government partners to provide support to affected communities. We stand in solidarity with families and children during this difficult time."On January 12, 2010, Haiti suffered one of the most deadly natural disasters ever recorded in history. The magnitude 7.0 quake near Port-au-Prince killed an estimated 250,000 people, 300,000 people were injured and 5 million people were displaced.
