News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Oct. 10, 2018: The death toll from Haiti’s October 6th earthquake climbed to 17 Tuesday, government officials said while another 333 people were reported among the injured.
Nine people died in the north coastal city of Port-de-Paix, seven in Gros Morne and one in Saint-Louis de Nord. Among the dead were a 5-year-old boy crushed by his collapsing house.
Haitian officials appealed for help and continued to assess the damage caused by the 5.9 magnitude earthquake and several related aftershocks.
The Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC) said the partial assessment of the earthquake also revealed 353 houses were destroyed and 7,430 heavily or slightly damaged, some of which have cracks. Most of the damage was recorded in Port-de-Paix (North-West) and Gros-Morne (Artibonite).
The DPC said that the quake also caused the damage to the central police station of Port-de-Paix and other social facilities. In the Artibonite, 42 institutional buildings, schools, churches and other service institutions are heavily or slightly damaged in Gros Morne. Four national and private schools are destroyed in Pilate in the North.
President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by several ministers including Prime Minister Jean Henry Céant, visited areas devastated by the quake Monday.
Thousands of people along Haiti’s north coast have dragged mattresses and chairs outside, fearing new aftershocks. Many wondered how they were going to rebuild from the latest quake.
“I am deeply moved by the images of the October 6th earthquake in northwest Haiti. My prayers are with those families who are crying today. An nou meté tet ansam pou édé youn lot menm jan nou te fè 12 janvyé 2010,” said Bocchit Edmond, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“Our Haitian land trembled Saturday night. This tragedy has added to the sufferings of our compatriots. I express to them my great sympathy and my strong solidarity. We must act quickly and well,” said Senator Joseph Lambert, Speaker of the Senate.
“I extend my sympathy to the victims of the recent earthquake and those who have lost loved ones during this tragedy. I take this opportunity to ask the Government to mobilize public assistance for the benefit of these communities,” added Gary Bodeau, President of the Chamber of Deputies.
On Monday, Danilo Medina, President of the Dominican Republic, called on President Moïse to express his sorrow and solidarity and said it was waiting for a needs assessment, in order to determine what the Dominican Republic can do to help Haiti.
A vastly larger magnitude 7.1 quake damaged much of the capital in 2010 and killed an estimated 300,000 people.
