More than 300 killed as quake rattles Haiti

KABUL (Pajhwok): More than 300 people have been killed in a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that rattled southwestern Haiti, CNN reported on Sunday.

The quake, followed by a series of aftershocks, struck 8km from the town of Petit Trou de Nippes, about 150 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince, at a depth of 10 km.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry told a news conference that his government had declared a state of emergency in the wake of the tragedy.

Over 1,800 people were wounded, with homes, buildings, roads and infrastructure significantly damaged as a result of the powerful quake.

Henry said his administration had started sending medications and health personnel to the facilities affected.

“For the people who need urgent special care, we have evacuated a certain number of them, and we will evacuate some more today and tomorrow.”

Haiti’s Civil Protection service said the preliminary death toll stood at 304, with at least 1,800 injured and more people unaccounted for.

It added 949 homes, seven churches, two hotels and three schools had been destroyed.

Another 723 homes, one prison, three health centres and seven schools had been damaged, according to Reuters.

PAN Monitor/mud

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