A huge earthquake has hit the impoverished island-nation of Haiti, according to the Global Post. Casualties remain unknown, but a hospital collapsed and people were screaming for help, reported ABC. A US government official said some houses had tumbled into a ravine following the quake and Lauren Magloire, a local journalist, told Al Jazeera that panic had hit the streets of the capital.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake, which struck just after 5pm local time, had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0, centered about 10 miles west in the Caribbean near Port-au-Prince. It had a depth of 5 miles. Two aftershocks of 5.5 and 5.9 magnitude followed. UN Dispatch reminds us that Haiti is still recovering from back to back hurricanes in 2008 and is also a very densely populated island.
UPDATE: Haiti's ambassador to the US, Raymond Joseph, told CNN that the Caribbean nation will be seeking U.S. assistance. He called the quake a "major catastrophe," telling the network he is calling on friends of Haiti to come to the country's aid. "The only thing I can do now is pray and hope for the best," he said. Reuters reported President Obama's response: "We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti," he said.
