Death Toll Nears 2,000 in Haiti Earthquake

[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The death toll from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Haiti on the 14th (local time) has approached 2,000.

Haiti's disaster authorities announced on the 17th that the number of earthquake fatalities had risen to 1,941. The number of injured reached 9,915, nearing 10,000.

The earthquake, which occurred 125 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince, completely destroyed or damaged more than 37,000 houses in southwestern cities such as Les Cayes and J?r?mie. As time passes, the chances of finding survivors are decreasing, and many bodies remain unrecovered in the debris, so the death toll is expected to continue rising. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) stated on the same day that the death toll is expected to be much lower than that of the 2010 major earthquake. The death toll from the 2010 Haiti earthquake is estimated to have reached up to 300,000.

Between the night of the 16th and the morning of the 17th, heavy rain fell in Haiti due to Tropical Storm Grace. To make matters worse, floods occurred in some areas, temporarily halting earthquake rescue operations.

Videos of flood damage were posted on social media, showing roads that instantly turned into rivers and a man wading through muddy water up to his waist. Foreign media reported that in Les Cayes, makeshift tents made of wooden sticks, tarps, and plastic sheets by displaced people who lost their homes were damaged by the rain that fell overnight. UNICEF estimated that 1.2 million Haitians, including 540,000 children, were affected by this earthquake.

A representative from the relief organization Save the Children said there are children orphaned by the earthquake, adding, "Children are crying on the streets, and people are begging for food," and told the Associated Press, "Food, clean water, and shelter are urgently needed."

The United Nations announced on the same day that it allocated 8 million dollars to support medical services, drinking water, and shelters in the earthquake-affected areas of Haiti.

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