Haiti Once Again Shaken by Massive Earthquake

Last Update：2022/12/29
Tags：

• Haiti
• Earthquake

On 14 August 2021, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake rattled southwestern Haiti, at a depth of around 10km, causing deaths, injuries and property damages, and reviving terrible memories of the great earthquake of 2010. The main event has been followed by constant aftershocks with magnitudes ranging between 4.5 and 6.2.

According to local authorities, the earthquake has claimed over 2,200 lives. About 1.2 million people have been affected by the earthquake, including 540,000 children.

The people in Southwestern provinces of Nippes and Grand'Anse were in great shock as the earthquake struck on 14 August 2021.

The earthquake caused thousands missing and left homeless due to massive destruction of buildings and homes.

The main event has been followed by constant aftershocks with magnitudes ranging between 4.5 and 6.2, rendering the survivors exposed to further risks and unsettlement.

The destruction in infrastructure brought by the earthquake is causing much hardship to the people.

A church building damaged by the earthquake.

In Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, more than 60% of the population lives in poverty and millions of people live on less than US $2 a day. The quake occurred at a particularly untimely moment for the country that has been through a mix of bad circumstances including the COVID-19 pandemic, the food insecurity threatening more than four million Haitians and the worsening political stalemate since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month. The imminent tropical storm Grace is also expected to sweep through Haiti, making rescue efforts even more complicated.

"We are deeply concerned by the devastation that this earthquake can cause, in a country already stricken by extreme poverty, social and political unrest,” says Marcelo Viscarra, World Vision Haiti National Director.

“3 children were rescued under this house. One died from his injuries at the hospital,” said staff Jean Baptiste Fritzner.

“The day was one of the worst in my life. My house was destroyed and we had to abandon it. It’s a two-story building. The whole first floor is so damaged that it could fall on us. Last night, I slept at a neighbor’s open yard. The aftershocks have not stopped,” said 16-year-old Ashley.

“Yesterday was really difficult for me. I lived it very badly. It seems like the tremors lasted all day. I couldn’t stand all the shaking. I cried. My head hurt all day,” said Daylie, a 15-year-old girl from Jeremie.

World Vision began responding to the needs of the communities right after the earthquake. To date, we have reached more than 155,000 people through the following sectors of works:

• WASH: Ensure the availability of clean water and purifiers to prevent infectious diseases such as cholera and COVID-19.
• SHELTER: Provide tents to shelter people who lost their homes.
• FOOD: Provide primary food assistance to families, prioritising those with children.
• CHILD PROTECTION: Ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable children, especially those in orphanages, making sure they are safe and cared for amid the prevailing social unrest.

World Vision has vast experience, proficient staff and strong local partnerships to ensure the access of vulnerable families to humanitarian aid, while ensuring a stable logistical supply to tackle the most pressing needs of families and their children.