7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Haiti... "At Least 304 Dead"

Prime Minister Ariel Henri Declares One-Month State of Emergency
Tropical Storm Approaches Amid Ongoing Aftershocks

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti, causing large-scale casualties. On the 14th (local time), buildings collapsed at the earthquake damage site in Los Cayos, Haiti. Photo by EPA/ Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti in Latin America, killing at least 304 people. Damage assessments are ongoing, and aftershocks continue, suggesting the scale of the disaster may increase.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred on the 14th (local time) at around 8:29 a.m., 13.5 km southeast of Petit Trou de Nippes, Haiti, registering a magnitude of 7.2. AFP news agency, citing Haitian authorities, reported that at least 304 people died that day.

Petit Trou de Nippes is located 125 km west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, with a shallow focal depth of 10 km.

In response, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry declared a one-month state of emergency.

Prime Minister Henry stated, "(This earthquake) caused numerous casualties and material damage in several areas," adding, "We will mobilize all government resources to assist the victims."

The USGS also said, "There appear to be many casualties," and "The damage from this disaster is likely widespread." Economic losses are estimated to range between 0 and 3% of Haiti's gross domestic product (GDP).

Haitian authorities have dispatched response teams to the affected areas and are focusing all efforts on searching for survivors and rescue operations.

However, aftershocks continue, and forecasts indicate that a tropical storm may approach Haiti starting the next day, raising concerns about further collapses and disruptions to rescue efforts.

Since the magnitude 7.2 earthquake, Haiti has experienced about ten aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4 to 5. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) has forecast that Atlantic tropical storm Grace will pass near Haiti between the 16th and 17th.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that after being briefed on the Haiti earthquake situation, U.S. President Joe Biden approved immediate U.S. response efforts.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.