Earthquake in Haiti

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti at 12:29 UTC on 14 August. At least 1941 people have been reported killed with almost 10,000 injured. It is estimated that 1.2 million people have been affected.

Magnitude 7 earthquakes are at the higher range on the Richter scale, and indicate a major earthquake that is expected to cause serious damage.

The earthquake's epicenter was approximately 12 km northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud in the southwest of Haiti. The southwest of the country suffered the most damage. USGS reported several magnitude 5 aftershocks in the hours that followed.

Tens of thousands of homes have been reported destroyed with a similar number of homes damaged. Some roads have also been blocked, delaying or preventing supplies from reaching some of the affected areas. Hospitals are beyond capacity, with some suffering damage from the earthquake.

International aid has ben dispatched with supplies and personnel to help with disaster recovery.

Tropical Storm Grace passed Haiti on 16 and 17 August, adding flash floods and landslides to the disaster.

Related Resources

• UNOSAT Live Map of the earthquake