The quake occurred Saturday morning with epicenter off the coast and had a strength at 7.2, according to the USGS earthquake center.
On Saturday, it was reported that 304 people died as a result of the earthquake. On Sunday morning, however, AFP writes that the number has risen to 724.
The news agency also writes that over 2800 people are injured.
Condolences
The country’s newly elected Prime Minister Ariel Henry commented on the disaster via his Twitter profile.
“I send my condolences to the parents of all those who have been victims of this violent earthquake, which has caused several losses of life and property,” he wrote on Twitter.
He also stated that a state of emergency would be declared in the country.
– Probably with high death rates
The US Earthquake Center ranked the quake at a “red damage level”, which among other things means that it is “likely with high death rates”. Previous incidents with red injury levels have required international emergency assistance.
The Red Cross writes in a press release that they are preparing the relief effort in Haiti.
– The most important help now is to save lives and health and get people to safety in case of aftershocks. In the next few days, emergency health care and trauma treatment will be important in addition to secure access to food, water and shelter, says senior adviser Morten Tønnesen-Krokan, who himself participated in the disaster team for Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, when more than 200,000 people lost their lives.
According to Tønnessen-Krokan, Haiti’s infrastructure makes the country extra vulnerable to earthquakes.
– It is first and foremost about building mass. The buildings are poorly equipped to withstand earthquakes, and easily collapse.
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