Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Port-au-Prince (Agenzia Fides) - On the afternoon of Tuesday 12 January, Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere has been devastated by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7, with its epicenter a few miles from the capital Port-au-Prince (2 million inhabitants) and at a depth of about 10 kilometers, and which was followed by two very strong aftershocks registering 5.9 and 5.5.
According to preliminary information provided, the city center was completely destroyed, numerous public buildings collapsed, including the headquarters of the United Nations' mission on the island. Telephone communications are interrupted. Three hospitals in Port-au-Prince have collapsed, and in the Haitian capital only one single hospital is functioning, although it is unable to accept additional patients because it is now damaged. This was what the Vice President of the International Red Cross, Massimo Barra, stated. The International Red Cross is already on the site to help residents in a terrifying scenario. The 6,700 soldiers of the UN peacekeeping forces (the "blue helmets") from 17 countries are helping in rescue to the population.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) gave the Red Alert and described the disaster, for its size, as unique in the history of the country. According to historical records, Haiti was hit by an earthquake of considerable size over 200 years ago: the last was in 1751, but it was not as violent as that of yesterday afternoon. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 13/01/2010)
