Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
(CNN) — A major earthquake struck southern Haiti on Tuesday, knocking down buildings and power lines and inflicting what its ambassador to the United States called a catastrophe for the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation.
Several eyewitnesses reported heavy damage and bodies in the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, where concrete-block homes line steep hillsides. There was no estimate of the dead and wounded Tuesday evening, but the U.S. State Department has been told to expect “serious loss of life,” department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington.
The magnitude 7.0 quake — the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century — struck shortly before 5 p.m. and was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It could be felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away, witnesses said.
Because of the earthquake’s proximity to the capital, and because the city is densely populated and has poorly constructed housing, “it could cause significant casualties,” said Jian Lin, a senior geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.
(more on CNN.com)
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Help the people of Haiti by donating to one of the following organizations:
United States
- American Red Cross – Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti.
- Yéle Haiti – Text “YELE” to 501501 to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean’s foundation for relief in Haiti.
- UNICEF USA – Visit www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake to help the children of Haiti who are victim of the earthquake.
- Doctors Without Borders – All their facilities were devastated by the earthquake, but they are still trying to treat hundreds of injured people. They need all our support.
- More ways to help the people of Haiti.
International - Donate online by visiting the Red Cross, UNICEF or Doctors Without Borders websites of your country. You can also donate to Yéle Haiti from anywhere in the world. Follow @MichaelsChange on Twitter for more information on your country.
Please spread the word. Share and retweet this post. Thank you!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.