What's happening in Haiti?

News | Samantha Choung | Aug 15th, 2021.

On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. The earthquake epicenter was 60 miles from the 2010 7.0-magnitude earthquake that killed roughly 220,000 to 300,000 people.

At least 1,297 people were killed and at least 5,700 were injured. The earthquake destroyed over 13,600 homes, damaging another 13,700.

There have been several after-shocks, including a 5.2-magnitude shock Saturday morning and a 5.1-magnitude shock at noon on Sunday.

The earthquake came in the wake of the assassination of Haiti’s president Jovenel Moïse last month. Still unexplained and unresolved, the remnants of the assassination have added another layer of instability to the country in this time of crisis.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Haiti is under a 48 hour tropical storm watch due to Tropical Storm Grace, which is heading towards the country.

Hospitals are struggling to meet the growing number of patients, and some roads have been blocked because of damage, limiting connection to critical supplies. As a result, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs describes that the most humanitarian urgent needs include medical assistance, water, and hygiene.

In order to donate towards relief, you can visit this website.