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7.2 magnitude earthquake causes “several” deaths and “enormous damage” in Haiti

Published 18:54 14 Aug 2021 BST

Updated 20:04 14 Aug 2021 BST

Reuben Pinder
7.2 magnitude earthquake causes “several” deaths and “enormous damage” in Haiti

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Authorities have said at least 29 people have been killed.

An earthquake that registered 7.2 on the Richter scale has caused "several" deaths in the Caribbean nation of Haiti, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has said it has caused "enormous" damage, with authorities stating that at least 29 people have been killed. Photos and videos circulated on social media show buildings destroyed by the earthquake and people trapped under rubble. The worst struck area was 12km (7.5 miles) from the main city of Saint-Louis du Sud, with the effects felt as far as the capital Port-Au-Prince 125km away. "Lots of homes are destroyed, people are dead and some are at the hospital," Christella Saint Hilaire, who lives near the epicentre, told AFP news agency. "Slowly, strongly and for very long seconds the earth shook in Haiti on 14 August, 2021 around 8:30 am," Frantz Duval, editor-in-chief of Haiti's Le Nouvelliste newspaper, tweeted on Saturday morning. The nation of Haiti is still recovering from a severe earthquake in 2010 that killed over 200,000 people.

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7.2 magnitude earthquake causes "several deaths" in Haiti