Haiti continues to be under tight grip of gang violence inside and beyond the capital Port-au-Prince, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The UN comments came amid continuous slump in Haitian currency Gourde reflecting a wider economic downturn in the Caribbean nation.&nbsp;

So far, 531 people have been reported to be killed in less than three months of 2023 in gang violence in Haiti, a country of over 11 million located between Jamaica at its West and Cuba to its northwest in the Caribbean region.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-haiti-police-killings-trigger-fresh-protests-in-caribbean-nation-556406">In Pics | Haiti police killings trigger fresh protests in Caribbean nation</a>

The human rights office of the United Nations said it was concerned with the extreme violence in Haiti and that it was spiralling out of control.&nbsp;

"Clashes between gangs are becoming more violent and more frequent, as they try to expand their territorial control throughout the capital and other regions by targeting people living in areas controlled by rivals," the United Nations spokeswoman Marta Hurtado said.

This year, up to March 15, "531 people were killed, 300 injured and 277 kidnapped in gang-related incidents that took place mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince," she told reporters in Geneva.

In the first two weeks of March alone, gang clashes left at least 208 dead, 164 injured and 101 kidnapped, Hurtado said.

"Most of the victims were killed or injured by snipers who were reportedly randomly shooting at people in their homes or on the streets," she added.

<h2>Haiti gang violence updates: Schools forced to close due to kidnappings</h2>

Across Haiti, students and teachers have been frequently hit by stray bullets, with social media chatter from the region claiming many to have been caught in the crossfire between security forces and a group of gangsters. Kidnappings of parents and young children around schools have increased, due to which many schools have been forced to close.

Without the protective school environment, "many children have been forcibly recruited by armed gangs", Hurtado said.

<h2>Haiti turmoil: Why is it worsening?</h2>

Haiti is among the poorest of nations in the Americas. The country has been under the grip of an increasingly worsening political and economic crisis since the assassination of President Jovonel Moise. Various armed groups now control more than half of the country, reports say.

The chronic instability and violence have sent food prices surging, and half the population does not have enough to eat, the United Nations said.

At least 160,000 people have been displaced and are living in precarious circumstances, with a quarter living in makeshift settlements with limited access to basic sanitation, she added.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Protests in Haiti by police, tensions soar; roads blocked and airport stormed by protesters

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"Sexual violence is also used by gangs against women and girls to terrorise, subjugate and punish the population," Hurtado said, with gangs using sexual violence against abducted girls to pressure families into paying a ransom.

The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has also urged the Haitian authorities to address the security situation immediately, by bolstering the police and reforming the judicial system.

"To break the cycle of violence, corruption and impunity, all those responsible, including those providing support and finance to the gangs, must be prosecuted and tried according to the rule of law," Hurtado said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Haiti continues to be under tight grip of gang violence inside and beyond the capital Port-au-Prince, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The UN comments came amid continuous slump in Haitian currency Gourde reflecting a wider economic downturn in the Caribbean nation.

Haiti continues to be under tight grip of gang violence inside and beyond the capital Port-au-Prince, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The UN comments came amid continuous slump in Haitian currency Gourde reflecting a wider economic downturn in the Caribbean nation. So far, 531 people have been reported to be killed in less than three months of 2023 in gang violence in Haiti, a country of over 11 million located between Jamaica at its West and Cuba to its northwest in the Caribbean region. ALSO READ | In Pics | Haiti police killings trigger fresh protests in Caribbean nation The human rights office of the United Nations said it was concerned with the extreme violence in Haiti and that it was spiralling out of control. "Clashes between gangs are becoming more violent and more frequent, as they try to expand their territorial control throughout the capital and other regions by targeting people living in areas controlled by rivals," the United Nations spokeswoman Marta Hurtado said. This year, up to March 15, "531 people were killed, 300 injured and 277 kidnapped in gang-related incidents that took place mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince," she told reporters in Geneva. In the first two weeks of March alone, gang clashes left at least 208 dead, 164 injured and 101 kidnapped, Hurtado said. "Most of the victims were killed or injured by snipers who were reportedly randomly shooting at people in their homes or on the streets," she added. Haiti gang violence updates: Schools forced to close due to kidnappings Across Haiti, students and teachers have been frequently hit by stray bullets, with social media chatter from the region claiming many to have been caught in the crossfire between security forces and a group of gangsters. Kidnappings of parents and young children around schools have increased, due to which many schools have been forced to close. Without the protective school environment, "many children have been forcibly recruited by armed gangs", Hurtado said. Haiti turmoil: Why is it worsening? Haiti is among the poorest of nations in the Americas. The country has been under the grip of an increasingly worsening political and economic crisis since the assassination of President Jovonel Moise. Various armed groups now control more than half of the country, reports say. The chronic instability and violence have sent food prices surging, and half the population does not have enough to eat, the United Nations said. At least 160,000 people have been displaced and are living in precarious circumstances, with a quarter living in makeshift settlements with limited access to basic sanitation, she added. ALSO WATCH | Protests in Haiti by police, tensions soar; roads blocked and airport stormed by protesters × "Sexual violence is also used by gangs against women and girls to terrorise, subjugate and punish the population," Hurtado said, with gangs using sexual violence against abducted girls to pressure families into paying a ransom. The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has also urged the Haitian authorities to address the security situation immediately, by bolstering the police and reforming the judicial system. "To break the cycle of violence, corruption and impunity, all those responsible, including those providing support and finance to the gangs, must be prosecuted and tried according to the rule of law," Hurtado said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Haiti: UN flags violence as 531 die in gang wars in 2023 so far

Many survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in southern Haiti are growing worried about how they will provide for their children, with more than half a million minors feared to be at risk from the fallout. 
 
The Aug. 14 quake hammered infrastructure, destroying or damaging some 130,000 homes, cutting off roads and pitching thousands of families in the Western Hemisphere`s poorest country into an uncertain future. 
 
When the magnitude 7.2 quake struck, homemaker Lovely Jean was resting inside the general hospital of the southern city of Les Cayes, while her three-day-old baby, Love Shaiska, was in the neonatal ward being treated for an infection. 
 
Les Cayes was one of the areas worst hit by the quake, and as the hospital walls trembled, Jean sent her husband, Pierre Alexandre, to grab the infant while she fled the building. 
 
"The earth was shaking and I was crying, so scared of what was happening," the 24-year-old said, cradling her child on the porch of their damaged home in a tiny village outside the town of Camp-Perrin, northwest of Les Cayes. 
 
The three survived, though the hospital suffered damage that forced some of its departments, including the neonatal ward, to operate outside for days after the disaster. 
 
But the problems are only beginning for Jean and her husband, a subsistence farmer. 
 
Alexandre`s fields were buried by landslides during the earthquake and rain unleashed by Tropical Storm Grace, which pummeled Haiti on Tuesday. His entire potato and yuca crop was unreachable, leaving the family with barely any food to eat. 
 
Meanwhile, Love Shaiska was struggling to suckle, forcing her parents to pull together cash to buy formula. 
 
"I don`t know what we`ll do," said Alexandre, 30. 
 
More than a dozen other parents Reuters spoke to in the quake zone expressed similar concerns about how they would cope. 
 
Over half a million children were affected by the earthquake, the U.N. children`s agency UNICEF said. 
 
The temblor claimed the lives of at least 2,207 people, injured 12,268 more and left 344 missing, according to Haitian authorities and followed an even more destructive earthquake in 2010 which killed tens of thousands of Haitians. 
 
Still, there are a few encouraging developments. Late on Sunday, civil protection authorities said 24 people who had been reported missing, including four children, had been found and taken by helicopter to Camp-Perrin to be looked after. 
 
Recovery efforts have been impeded by the flooding and damage to roads, feeding tensions in hard-hit areas. In the past few days, residents have looted aid trucks in several towns across the south, stirring concerns about security.

Many survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in southern Haiti are growing worried about how they will provide for their children, with more than half a million minors feared to be at risk from the fallout.

Many survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in southern Haiti are growing worried about how they will provide for their children, with more than half a million minors feared to be at risk from the fallout. The Aug. 14 quake hammered infrastructure, destroying or damaging some 130,000 homes, cutting off roads and pitching thousands of families in the Western Hemisphere`s poorest country into an uncertain future. When the magnitude 7.2 quake struck, homemaker Lovely Jean was resting inside the general hospital of the southern city of Les Cayes, while her three-day-old baby, Love Shaiska, was in the neonatal ward being treated for an infection. Les Cayes was one of the areas worst hit by the quake, and as the hospital walls trembled, Jean sent her husband, Pierre Alexandre, to grab the infant while she fled the building. "The earth was shaking and I was crying, so scared of what was happening," the 24-year-old said, cradling her child on the porch of their damaged home in a tiny village outside the town of Camp-Perrin, northwest of Les Cayes. The three survived, though the hospital suffered damage that forced some of its departments, including the neonatal ward, to operate outside for days after the disaster. But the problems are only beginning for Jean and her husband, a subsistence farmer. Alexandre`s fields were buried by landslides during the earthquake and rain unleashed by Tropical Storm Grace, which pummeled Haiti on Tuesday. His entire potato and yuca crop was unreachable, leaving the family with barely any food to eat. Meanwhile, Love Shaiska was struggling to suckle, forcing her parents to pull together cash to buy formula. "I don`t know what we`ll do," said Alexandre, 30. More than a dozen other parents Reuters spoke to in the quake zone expressed similar concerns about how they would cope. Over half a million children were affected by the earthquake, the U.N. children`s agency UNICEF said. The temblor claimed the lives of at least 2,207 people, injured 12,268 more and left 344 missing, according to Haitian authorities and followed an even more destructive earthquake in 2010 which killed tens of thousands of Haitians. Still, there are a few encouraging developments. Late on Sunday, civil protection authorities said 24 people who had been reported missing, including four children, had been found and taken by helicopter to Camp-Perrin to be looked after. Recovery efforts have been impeded by the flooding and damage to roads, feeding tensions in hard-hit areas. In the past few days, residents have looted aid trucks in several towns across the south, stirring concerns about security.

'I don't know what we'll do': Haiti quake survivors fear for children's future

More than a week after Haiti suffered a major earthquake, the country’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has vowed to conduct elections as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p>

"I am committed to doing everything in my power to put my country back on the rails of a functioning democracy with the organization as&nbsp;soon&nbsp;as&nbsp;possible&nbsp;of free and transparent&nbsp;elections,"&nbsp;Henry said in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS).

<o:p></o:p>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exile-headquarters-why-is-miami-the-hotbed-of-latin-american-assassinations-and-coup-398853">Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup?</a>

He has announced that the elections will, most probably, take place on November 07. The first round was earlier scheduled for September but keeping in mind the recent tragedies in the world, that would not have been possible.<o:p></o:p>

His assurance has come at a time when the country is still trying to re-build itself after a deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country last week which killed nearly 2,200 people and injured thousands of others.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-2000-people-killed-in-haiti-earthquake-406788">WATCH&nbsp;</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-2000-people-killed-in-haiti-earthquake-406788/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A little before the earthquake, the country was left in shock and chaos by assassination of their President Jovenel Moise in July. On July 07, Haiti President,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Jovenel Moise</a>, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack. Moise was battling a public debate of whether his presidential term should in February 2021 or 2022.<o:p></o:p>

As of now, the legislative elections and a constitutional referendum, which was supported by the deceased President are set to take place on the same day.<o:p></o:p>

More than a week after Haiti suffered a major earthquake, the country’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has vowed to conduct elections as soon as possible. "I am committed to doing everything in my power to put my country back on the rails of a functioning democracy with the organization as soon as possible of free and transparent elections," Henry said in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS).

More than a week after Haiti suffered a major earthquake, the country’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has vowed to conduct elections as soon as possible. "I am committed to doing everything in my power to put my country back on the rails of a functioning democracy with the organization as soon as possible of free and transparent elections," Henry said in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS). Also read: Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup? He has announced that the elections will, most probably, take place on November 07. The first round was earlier scheduled for September but keeping in mind the recent tragedies in the world, that would not have been possible. His assurance has come at a time when the country is still trying to re-build itself after a deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country last week which killed nearly 2,200 people and injured thousands of others. WATCH A little before the earthquake, the country was left in shock and chaos by assassination of their President Jovenel Moise in July. On July 07, Haiti President, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack. Moise was battling a public debate of whether his presidential term should in February 2021 or 2022. As of now, the legislative elections and a constitutional referendum, which was supported by the deceased President are set to take place on the same day.

Haiti PM promises elections to be held very soon, as country recovers from deadly earthquake

Foreign aid has started to reach Haiti&nbsp;days after a powerful earthquake killed nearly 2,200 people and&nbsp;flattened tens of thousands of buildings into rubble.

With almost 53,000 homes completely destroyed and more than 77,000 others damaged in Saturday's tremor, authorities have a massive group of people that will need extensive recovery help.

Yet, authorities intend to provide materials for locals to rebuild their collapsed houses, rather than set up the type of camps that popped up after the earthquake that killed over 200,000 in the capital Port-au-Prince.

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The latest disaster struck just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging the nation of 11 million people deeper into a political crisis that has worsened its economic woes.

Hundreds of people lined up to receive provisions from the UN&nbsp;World Food Programme at a camp in the rural town of Camp-Perrin for people displaced by Saturday's 7.2 magnitude quake. The official death toll stood at 2,189 but was expected to rise.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A powerful earthquake in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Haiti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Haiti</a> has triggered large numbers of landslides. A break in the clouds offered Landsat 8 this view of hillslopes that gave way during the magnitude 7.2 temblor. <a href="https://t.co/aSIXKxuVOB">https://t.co/aSIXKxuVOB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fp0NycVvLG">pic.twitter.com/Fp0NycVvLG</a>
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAEarth/status/1427384840668725265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A mudslide caused by two nights of heavy rain earlier this week had partly blocked the main road leading to the area. Any more rain could make it impassable, locals said. People were sleeping out in a field under trees.

Private relief supplies and shipments from the US&nbsp;government and others were arriving in the southwestern peninsula where the weekend quake struck, killing more than 2,100 people. But the need was extreme, made worse by the rain from Tropical Storm Grace, and people were growing frustrated with the slow pace.

France also sent a ship with humanitarian cargo, a helicopter and 25 soldiers, said Florence Parly, the French armed forces minister.

Tension over the slow distribution of aid has become increasingly evident in the area hit hardest by Saturday’s quake. At the small airport in Les Cayes, people thronged a perimeter fence Wednesday as aid was loaded into trucks and police fired warning shots to disperse a crowd of young men.

Angry crowds also massed at collapsed buildings in the city, demanding tarps to create temporary shelters after Grace’s heavy rain. Also in Les Cayes, 22 prisoners escaped from the jail after the quake hit, said National Police spokeswoman Marie-Michelle Verrier.

International aid workers said hospitals in the worst-hit areas are mostly incapacitated, which is why many patients need to be moved to the capital for treatment. But reaching Port-au-Prince from the southwest is difficult under normal conditions because of poor roads and gangs along the route.

Even with a supposed gang truce following the earthquake, kidnapping remains a threat,&nbsp;underscored by the seizure of the two doctors working at the private Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince, where about 50 quake victims were being treated.

And another problem emerged in the quake-damaged southern provinces, where national police said villagers put up barricades on the roads to prevent aid from getting through, arguing that they need help too.

Haiti&nbsp;is the poorest country in the Americas, and is still recovering from a 2010 quake&nbsp;that killed over 200,000.

(With inputs from agencies)

Foreign aid has started to reach Haiti days after a powerful earthquake killed nearly 2,200 people and flattened tens of thousands of buildings into rubble. With almost 53,000 homes completely destroyed and more than 77,000 others damaged in Saturday's tremor, authorities have a massive group of people that will need extensive recovery help.

Foreign aid has started to reach Haiti days after a powerful earthquake killed nearly 2,200 people and flattened tens of thousands of buildings into rubble. With almost 53,000 homes completely destroyed and more than 77,000 others damaged in Saturday's tremor, authorities have a massive group of people that will need extensive recovery help. Yet, authorities intend to provide materials for locals to rebuild their collapsed houses, rather than set up the type of camps that popped up after the earthquake that killed over 200,000 in the capital Port-au-Prince. The latest disaster struck just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging the nation of 11 million people deeper into a political crisis that has worsened its economic woes. Hundreds of people lined up to receive provisions from the UN World Food Programme at a camp in the rural town of Camp-Perrin for people displaced by Saturday's 7.2 magnitude quake. The official death toll stood at 2,189 but was expected to rise. A powerful earthquake in #Haiti has triggered large numbers of landslides. A break in the clouds offered Landsat 8 this view of hillslopes that gave way during the magnitude 7.2 temblor. https://t.co/aSIXKxuVOB pic.twitter.com/Fp0NycVvLG — NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) August 16, 2021 × A mudslide caused by two nights of heavy rain earlier this week had partly blocked the main road leading to the area. Any more rain could make it impassable, locals said. People were sleeping out in a field under trees. Private relief supplies and shipments from the US government and others were arriving in the southwestern peninsula where the weekend quake struck, killing more than 2,100 people. But the need was extreme, made worse by the rain from Tropical Storm Grace, and people were growing frustrated with the slow pace. France also sent a ship with humanitarian cargo, a helicopter and 25 soldiers, said Florence Parly, the French armed forces minister. Tension over the slow distribution of aid has become increasingly evident in the area hit hardest by Saturday’s quake. At the small airport in Les Cayes, people thronged a perimeter fence Wednesday as aid was loaded into trucks and police fired warning shots to disperse a crowd of young men. Angry crowds also massed at collapsed buildings in the city, demanding tarps to create temporary shelters after Grace’s heavy rain. Also in Les Cayes, 22 prisoners escaped from the jail after the quake hit, said National Police spokeswoman Marie-Michelle Verrier. International aid workers said hospitals in the worst-hit areas are mostly incapacitated, which is why many patients need to be moved to the capital for treatment. But reaching Port-au-Prince from the southwest is difficult under normal conditions because of poor roads and gangs along the route. Even with a supposed gang truce following the earthquake, kidnapping remains a threat, underscored by the seizure of the two doctors working at the private Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince, where about 50 quake victims were being treated. And another problem emerged in the quake-damaged southern provinces, where national police said villagers put up barricades on the roads to prevent aid from getting through, arguing that they need help too. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas, and is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000. (With inputs from agencies)

Earthquake-ravaged Haiti struggles to count victims as foreign aid trickles in

Haiti was left in shock and tears after a deadly earthquake hit the country on Saturday. More than a week after the deadly quakes,&nbsp;the southern Haitian city of Les Cayes has said more than 2,200 people have lost their lives to the natural disaster.

Witnesses told news agency, Reuters, that even days after the earthquake, the city is still struggling to get back to their normal life.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-haiti-searches-for-survivors-after-quake-kills-over-300-people-405576">In Pics | Haiti searches for survivors after quake kills over 300 people</a>&nbsp;

While the Haitian authorities said the official death toll from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake had reached 2,189, the locals think the death toll is more than the official figures being reported.

This has hit the country at a time when the locals were still recovering from the 2010 quake that killed more than 200,000 people.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-2000-people-killed-in-haiti-earthquake-406788">WATCH&nbsp;</a>

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In the seaside city, many people have been spotted sleeping on roads on mattresses as several buildings and homes crumbled down in the deadly quake.

The local patrol police officers have said there has been no immediate reports or any further reported deaths or damage in the area.

Officials have claimed that more than 2,200 people have lost their lives and thousands of others have been injured in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

Haiti was left in shock and tears after a deadly earthquake hit the country on Saturday. More than a week after the deadly quakes, the southern Haitian city of Les Cayes has said more than 2,200 people have lost their lives to the natural disaster.

Haiti was left in shock and tears after a deadly earthquake hit the country on Saturday. More than a week after the deadly quakes, the southern Haitian city of Les Cayes has said more than 2,200 people have lost their lives to the natural disaster. Witnesses told news agency, Reuters, that even days after the earthquake, the city is still struggling to get back to their normal life. In Pics | Haiti searches for survivors after quake kills over 300 people While the Haitian authorities said the official death toll from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake had reached 2,189, the locals think the death toll is more than the official figures being reported. This has hit the country at a time when the locals were still recovering from the 2010 quake that killed more than 200,000 people. WATCH In the seaside city, many people have been spotted sleeping on roads on mattresses as several buildings and homes crumbled down in the deadly quake. The local patrol police officers have said there has been no immediate reports or any further reported deaths or damage in the area. Officials have claimed that more than 2,200 people have lost their lives and thousands of others have been injured in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

More than 2,200 people have died in deadly Haiti earthquake, locals claim

An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday, as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas.

Henry had on Sunday flown to Les Cayes, the southwestern city of 100,000 people which bore the brunt of Saturday's magnitude 7.2 quake, and pledged a rapid increase in aid. But in a video address on Wednesday evening, he conceded Haiti was in trouble.

"Haiti is now on its knees," Henry said. "The earthquake that devastated a large part of the south of the country proves once again our limits, and how fragile we are."

Dozens of people went to Les Cayes airport demanding food after a helicopter arrived carrying supplies, a Reuters witness said. Police intervened to allow a truck carrying aid to leave.

Following another night of rains, residents in Les Cayes, including those camped in a mushrooming tent city in the city center, complained of scant assistance.

Haitian authorities said late on Wednesday that the official death toll had risen to 2,189.

Concern was also growing for more remote places outside Les Cayes such as Jeremie to the northwest, where access roads were damaged, videos on social media showed.

Pierre Cenel, a judge in Les Cayes, rebuked the government in Port-au-Prince.

"As a judge, I must not have a political opinion. But as a man, as a man concerned about the situation of my country, nothing is working. They didn't do anything to prepare for this disaster," Cenel said.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000. The latest calamity hit just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging Haiti into political turmoil.

Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti's civil protection agency, told a news conference he knew aid had yet to reach many areas but officials were working hard to deliver it.

"The frustration and despair of the population is understood, but ... the population is asked not to block the convoys so that civil protection can do its job," he said.

There were at least 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance and 135,000 families displaced, Chandler said. The goal was to deliver aid to everyone in need within a week.

RISK OF DISEASE

In the tent city in Les Cayes displaced residents were getting worried.

"We need help," said Roosevelt Milford, a pastor speaking on radio on behalf of the hundreds camping out in soggy fields since the quake destroyed their homes.

Milford and others complained they lacked even the most basic provisions, such as food, clean drinking water, and shelter from the rain. Tanks of drinking water were destroyed during the quake, authorities said.

Tropical Storm Grace this week swept away many shelters and inundated the field.

Moril Jeudy, a community leader in Marigot south of Port-au-Prince, said while the town had emerged intact from the quake, Grace had flooded hundreds of homes, killed four people and left several more missing. And no help had arrived yet.

"Even the NGOs didn't come," he said.

Security concerns about gang-controlled areas on the route from the capital Port-au-Prince, slowed aid access.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said negotiations with armed groups had permitted a humanitarian convoy to reach Les Cayes.

Chandler said the government was increasing the number of aid convoys going by land, and aimed to reach three a day soon.

In L'Asile, a town of over 30,000 people 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Les Cayes, community leader Aldorf Hilaire said government help had yet to arrive, and survivors were relying on support from charities such as Doctors Without Borders.

"We are desperate," he told Reuters. "The springs are dirty: the water is not drinkable ... We had a bad night during the storm and the people need tents and tarps."

Authorities have said the earthquake killed at least 1,941 people and injured some 9,900 others, but with rescuers still pulling bodies from the rubble the tally looks set to rise.

In a rare piece of good news, 34 people had been rescued in the last two days, Chandler said. But hopes are fading.

An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday, as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas.

An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday, as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas. Henry had on Sunday flown to Les Cayes, the southwestern city of 100,000 people which bore the brunt of Saturday's magnitude 7.2 quake, and pledged a rapid increase in aid. But in a video address on Wednesday evening, he conceded Haiti was in trouble. "Haiti is now on its knees," Henry said. "The earthquake that devastated a large part of the south of the country proves once again our limits, and how fragile we are." Dozens of people went to Les Cayes airport demanding food after a helicopter arrived carrying supplies, a Reuters witness said. Police intervened to allow a truck carrying aid to leave. Following another night of rains, residents in Les Cayes, including those camped in a mushrooming tent city in the city center, complained of scant assistance. Haitian authorities said late on Wednesday that the official death toll had risen to 2,189. Concern was also growing for more remote places outside Les Cayes such as Jeremie to the northwest, where access roads were damaged, videos on social media showed. Pierre Cenel, a judge in Les Cayes, rebuked the government in Port-au-Prince. "As a judge, I must not have a political opinion. But as a man, as a man concerned about the situation of my country, nothing is working. They didn't do anything to prepare for this disaster," Cenel said. The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000. The latest calamity hit just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging Haiti into political turmoil. Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti's civil protection agency, told a news conference he knew aid had yet to reach many areas but officials were working hard to deliver it. "The frustration and despair of the population is understood, but ... the population is asked not to block the convoys so that civil protection can do its job," he said. There were at least 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance and 135,000 families displaced, Chandler said. The goal was to deliver aid to everyone in need within a week. RISK OF DISEASE In the tent city in Les Cayes displaced residents were getting worried. "We need help," said Roosevelt Milford, a pastor speaking on radio on behalf of the hundreds camping out in soggy fields since the quake destroyed their homes. Milford and others complained they lacked even the most basic provisions, such as food, clean drinking water, and shelter from the rain. Tanks of drinking water were destroyed during the quake, authorities said. Tropical Storm Grace this week swept away many shelters and inundated the field. Moril Jeudy, a community leader in Marigot south of Port-au-Prince, said while the town had emerged intact from the quake, Grace had flooded hundreds of homes, killed four people and left several more missing. And no help had arrived yet. "Even the NGOs didn't come," he said. Security concerns about gang-controlled areas on the route from the capital Port-au-Prince, slowed aid access. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said negotiations with armed groups had permitted a humanitarian convoy to reach Les Cayes. Chandler said the government was increasing the number of aid convoys going by land, and aimed to reach three a day soon. In L'Asile, a town of over 30,000 people 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Les Cayes, community leader Aldorf Hilaire said government help had yet to arrive, and survivors were relying on support from charities such as Doctors Without Borders. "We are desperate," he told Reuters. "The springs are dirty: the water is not drinkable ... We had a bad night during the storm and the people need tents and tarps." Authorities have said the earthquake killed at least 1,941 people and injured some 9,900 others, but with rescuers still pulling bodies from the rubble the tally looks set to rise. In a rare piece of good news, 34 people had been rescued in the last two days, Chandler said. But hopes are fading.

Quake leaves Haiti 'on its knees' as impatience grows over lack of aid

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have spoken out regarding the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, as well as calamity-stricken Haiti. 
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a joint statement on their Archewell Foundation website encouraging followers to unite and support organizations "doing critical work" to help those in need. 
 
They wrote, "The world is exceptionally fragile right now. As we all feel the many layers of pain due to the situation in Afghanistan, we are left speechless. As we all watch the growing humanitarian disaster in Haiti, and the threat of it worsening after last weekend`s earthquake, we are left heartbroken. And as we all witness the continuing global health crisis, exacerbated by new variants and constant misinformation, we are left scared." 
 
The royals further shared, "When any person or community suffers, a piece of each of us does so with them, whether we realize it or not. And though we are not meant to live in a state of suffering, we, as a people, are being conditioned to accept it. It`s easy to find ourselves feeling powerless, but we can put our values into action -- together." 
 
"To start, we encourage you to join us in supporting a number of organizations doing critical work. We also urge those in positions of global influence to rapidly advance the humanitarian dialogues that are expected to take place this fall at multilateral gatherings such as the UN General Assembly and the G20 Leaders` Summit," the couple continued. 
 
"As an international community, it is the decisions we make now -- to alleviate suffering among those we know and those we may never meet -- that will prove our humanity," the duke and duchess concluded their statement. 
 
The message comes after<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-prince-harrys-message-to-military-veterans-amid-afghanistan-crisis-reach-out-to-each-other-406216"> Harry recently issued a joint statement with Dominic Reid</a>, the CEO of his Invictus Games. The 36-year-old previously served in the British Army for a decade, including two deployments in Afghanistan. 
 
In it, they call on the international community, particularly those who have served or whose family members have served in the country, to reach out to one another as emotions flare regarding the Taliban takeover. 
 
The Duke of Sussex founded the Invictus Games in 2014 in an effort to use athletics and competition to inspire servicemembers to recover both physically and mentally from injuries suffered in combat. 
 
The Taliban moved into several cities in the country in recent weeks, culminating in the takeover of the capital city of Kabul over the weekend. The fall of the city triggered the collapse of the government as US forces continued their planned withdrawal. 
 
Separately, Tropical Storm Grace also swept over Haiti with drenching rains just days after a powerful earthquake battered the impoverished Caribbean nation, adding to the misery of thousands who lost loved ones, suffered injuries or found themselves homeless and forcing overwhelmed hospitals and rescuers to act quickly. 
 
Heavy rain and strong winds overnight whipped at the country`s southwestern area, hit hardest by Saturday`s quake, and officials warned that rainfall could reach 15 inches in some areas before the storm moved on. Port-au-Prince, the capital, also saw heavy rains. Grace regained tropical storm status after falling to the level of a tropical depression.The storm arrived on the same day that the country`s Civil Protection Agency raised the death toll from the earthquake to 1,419 and the number of injured to 6,000, many of whom have had to wait for medical help lying outside in wilting heat. 
 
As per Fox News, officials said the magnitude 7.2 earthquake destroyed more than 7,000 homes and damaged nearly 5,000, leaving some 30,000 families homeless. Hospitals, schools, offices and churches also were demolished or badly damaged.The quake nearly wrecked some towns in the latest disaster to befall the Western Hemisphere`s poorest nation. Haitians already were struggling with the COVID pandemic, gang violence, worsening poverty and the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have spoken out regarding the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, as well as calamity-stricken Haiti. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a joint statement on their Archewell Foundation website encouraging followers to unite and support organizations "doing critical work" to help those in need.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have spoken out regarding the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, as well as calamity-stricken Haiti. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a joint statement on their Archewell Foundation website encouraging followers to unite and support organizations "doing critical work" to help those in need. They wrote, "The world is exceptionally fragile right now. As we all feel the many layers of pain due to the situation in Afghanistan, we are left speechless. As we all watch the growing humanitarian disaster in Haiti, and the threat of it worsening after last weekend`s earthquake, we are left heartbroken. And as we all witness the continuing global health crisis, exacerbated by new variants and constant misinformation, we are left scared." The royals further shared, "When any person or community suffers, a piece of each of us does so with them, whether we realize it or not. And though we are not meant to live in a state of suffering, we, as a people, are being conditioned to accept it. It`s easy to find ourselves feeling powerless, but we can put our values into action -- together." "To start, we encourage you to join us in supporting a number of organizations doing critical work. We also urge those in positions of global influence to rapidly advance the humanitarian dialogues that are expected to take place this fall at multilateral gatherings such as the UN General Assembly and the G20 Leaders` Summit," the couple continued. "As an international community, it is the decisions we make now -- to alleviate suffering among those we know and those we may never meet -- that will prove our humanity," the duke and duchess concluded their statement. The message comes after Harry recently issued a joint statement with Dominic Reid, the CEO of his Invictus Games. The 36-year-old previously served in the British Army for a decade, including two deployments in Afghanistan. In it, they call on the international community, particularly those who have served or whose family members have served in the country, to reach out to one another as emotions flare regarding the Taliban takeover. The Duke of Sussex founded the Invictus Games in 2014 in an effort to use athletics and competition to inspire servicemembers to recover both physically and mentally from injuries suffered in combat. The Taliban moved into several cities in the country in recent weeks, culminating in the takeover of the capital city of Kabul over the weekend. The fall of the city triggered the collapse of the government as US forces continued their planned withdrawal. Separately, Tropical Storm Grace also swept over Haiti with drenching rains just days after a powerful earthquake battered the impoverished Caribbean nation, adding to the misery of thousands who lost loved ones, suffered injuries or found themselves homeless and forcing overwhelmed hospitals and rescuers to act quickly. Heavy rain and strong winds overnight whipped at the country`s southwestern area, hit hardest by Saturday`s quake, and officials warned that rainfall could reach 15 inches in some areas before the storm moved on. Port-au-Prince, the capital, also saw heavy rains. Grace regained tropical storm status after falling to the level of a tropical depression.The storm arrived on the same day that the country`s Civil Protection Agency raised the death toll from the earthquake to 1,419 and the number of injured to 6,000, many of whom have had to wait for medical help lying outside in wilting heat. As per Fox News, officials said the magnitude 7.2 earthquake destroyed more than 7,000 homes and damaged nearly 5,000, leaving some 30,000 families homeless. Hospitals, schools, offices and churches also were demolished or badly damaged.The quake nearly wrecked some towns in the latest disaster to befall the Western Hemisphere`s poorest nation. Haitians already were struggling with the COVID pandemic, gang violence, worsening poverty and the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry speak out about Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, Haiti's earthquake

Tropical storm grace ravaged Haiti hampering rescue efforts as the country struggle to get on its feet in the aftermath of a massive earthquake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, that hit the Caribbean nation on Saturday.

Tropical storm hits Haiti after earthquake, rains hamper rescue efforts

Haiti is caught in a series of unfortunate events. First, the country's president was assassinated. Then, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake killed 1400+ people. Now, a tropical storm is battering the island nation. Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: A series of tragedies in Haiti

An earthquake of 7.2 magnitudes struck Haiti on Saturday morning which killed nearly 2,000 people and destroyed about 37,312 houses. Victims of the disaster are still clamouring for food, shelter and medical aid.

Haiti earthquake survivors cry for help, hospitals struggling to save lives

Almost 1,300 people have been reported killed by a powerful earthquake that rocked&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;on Saturday, with thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged.

The destruction came little more than a decade after a devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed&nbsp;Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and killed more than 200,000 people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/storm-brings-floods-as-haitians-seek-help-at-overloaded-hospitals-after-quake-406267">Storm brings floods as Haitians seek help at overloaded hospitals after quake</a>

Here's a look at why the Caribbean country is affected by earthquakes.

What causes earthquakes in&nbsp;Haiti?

Haiti&nbsp;occupies the western part of Hispaniola, a Caribbean island, it shares with the Dominican Republic. Hispaniola is sandwiched between two fault systems, the Septentrional fault system to the north, and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system to the south.

The Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system is considered likely responsible for Saturday's quake, as well as the one in 2010, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quake-death-toll-surges-to-1297-in-haiti-as-rescue-efforts-continue-405886">Quake death toll surges to&nbsp;1,297 in Haiti as rescue efforts continue</a>&nbsp;

Earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates - separate parts of the Earth's crust - suddenly slip past each other. Though friction holds these two plates together, the sudden release of energy in seismic waves cause the shaking associated with earthquakes.

Which quake was bigger, 2010's or Saturday's?

Saturday's quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, which is used to measure earthquake size, according to the USGS.

Though the quake in 2010 measured 7.0, the Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that Saturday's earthquake released twice as much energy as the previous one. It was felt in Jamaica, more than 200 miles (320 km) away.

Damage caused on Saturday so far appears less than 2010, the reasons for which are being studied.

"That's the million-dollar question right now," said William Barnhart, a geophysicist in the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-turmoil-haiti-gets-hit-with-deadly-quake-killing-over-300-405544">After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300</a>&nbsp;

While the 2010 earthquake struck in Leogane, just outside of&nbsp;Haiti's capital, Saturday's quake hit further from Port-au-Prince, in the Nippes department of southwestern&nbsp;Haiti.

Preliminary work suggests the quake's further distance from the capital and the mountainous, sparsely inhabited location of the epicentre - where a quake starts on the Earth's surface - could have had an impact, he added.

Will there be more earthquakes in&nbsp;Haiti?

Before the 2010 quake, the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system had not produced a major earthquake in decades, the USGS says.

However, the fault system was probably behind three other major earthquakes, occurring in 1751, 1770, and 1860 respectively, the USGS says, adding that the first two quakes destroyed Port-au-Prince.

Other quakes are likely to happen in the future.

"We know they will happen, but we don't know when they will happen," Barnhart said.

Did lessons from the 2010 earthquake have any impact?

While Barnhart says just Japan, Mexico, and US Western states have early-warning systems for earthquakes - which can buy just tens of seconds of advance notice - Claude Prepetit,&nbsp;Haiti's chief seismologist, said&nbsp;Haitians behaved differently after Saturday's quake, compared to in 2010.

Back then, he said, people exposed themselves to more danger by sheltering in buildings while aftershocks continued.

"We have learned our lesson," Prepetit said, but added more needs to be done. "We must build better, with better building materials, and then educate the population so that they can develop the right reflexes."

Almost 1,300 people have been reported killed by a powerful earthquake that rocked Haiti on Saturday, with thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged.

Almost 1,300 people have been reported killed by a powerful earthquake that rocked Haiti on Saturday, with thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged. The destruction came little more than a decade after a devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and killed more than 200,000 people. Also read | Storm brings floods as Haitians seek help at overloaded hospitals after quake Here's a look at why the Caribbean country is affected by earthquakes. What causes earthquakes in Haiti? Haiti occupies the western part of Hispaniola, a Caribbean island, it shares with the Dominican Republic. Hispaniola is sandwiched between two fault systems, the Septentrional fault system to the north, and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system to the south. The Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system is considered likely responsible for Saturday's quake, as well as the one in 2010, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Also read | Quake death toll surges to 1,297 in Haiti as rescue efforts continue Earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates - separate parts of the Earth's crust - suddenly slip past each other. Though friction holds these two plates together, the sudden release of energy in seismic waves cause the shaking associated with earthquakes. Which quake was bigger, 2010's or Saturday's? Saturday's quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, which is used to measure earthquake size, according to the USGS. Though the quake in 2010 measured 7.0, the Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that Saturday's earthquake released twice as much energy as the previous one. It was felt in Jamaica, more than 200 miles (320 km) away. Damage caused on Saturday so far appears less than 2010, the reasons for which are being studied. "That's the million-dollar question right now," said William Barnhart, a geophysicist in the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Also read | After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 While the 2010 earthquake struck in Leogane, just outside of Haiti's capital, Saturday's quake hit further from Port-au-Prince, in the Nippes department of southwestern Haiti. Preliminary work suggests the quake's further distance from the capital and the mountainous, sparsely inhabited location of the epicentre - where a quake starts on the Earth's surface - could have had an impact, he added. Will there be more earthquakes in Haiti? Before the 2010 quake, the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system had not produced a major earthquake in decades, the USGS says. However, the fault system was probably behind three other major earthquakes, occurring in 1751, 1770, and 1860 respectively, the USGS says, adding that the first two quakes destroyed Port-au-Prince. Other quakes are likely to happen in the future. "We know they will happen, but we don't know when they will happen," Barnhart said. Did lessons from the 2010 earthquake have any impact? While Barnhart says just Japan, Mexico, and US Western states have early-warning systems for earthquakes - which can buy just tens of seconds of advance notice - Claude Prepetit, Haiti's chief seismologist, said Haitians behaved differently after Saturday's quake, compared to in 2010. Back then, he said, people exposed themselves to more danger by sheltering in buildings while aftershocks continued. "We have learned our lesson," Prepetit said, but added more needs to be done. "We must build better, with better building materials, and then educate the population so that they can develop the right reflexes."

Explainer: Why does Haiti have earthquakes?

Doctors in&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;on Monday battled in makeshift tents to save the lives of hundreds of injured people, including young children and the elderly, outside hospitals overwhelmed by an earthquake that killed at least 1,419 people.

While rescue teams toiled to dig out survivors of Saturday's 7.2 magnitude quake, a storm dumped heavy rain on the southern coast of&nbsp;Haiti, bringing flooding near the worst-hit areas and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, local residents said.

Deus Deronneth, a politician from the Jacmel region, posted a video on Twitter showing a torrent of water sweeping through a local town and confirmed the flooding to Reuters.

The earthquake brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the deeply impoverished country, which is still recovering from a major temblor&nbsp;11 years ago and the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise, on July 7.

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Dozens of churches, hotels, homes and schools were seriously damaged or ruined by the quake.&nbsp;Haitian authorities said on Monday afternoon that 1,419 fatalities had been confirmed, with some 6,900 people injured and 37,312 houses destroyed.

Data circulating among aid groups indicated over 450 additional deaths had been logged in the hardest-hit department, and&nbsp;Haitian officials warned the toll was likely to rise.

The areas in and around the city of Les Cayes - some 150 km (93 miles) west of the Caribbean country's capital Port-au-Prince - suffered the most damage, putting enormous strain on local hospitals, some of which were badly damaged.

Collapsed buildings lined the main street of the seafront city of 100,000 people. Dozens of men dug through rubble from a hotel whose owner died in the quake, residents said.

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The city's general hospital was overwhelmed, with doctors and nurses attending patients in tents in its crowded parking lot because there was no more room inside.

Dozens lay on beds and mattresses on the grass outside the hospital. Inside, patients were on stretchers on the floor or on cots in crowded rooms with relatives by their sides.

Babies were being transported out of the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit over concerns that the building was unsafe after the quake, according to a Reuters witness.

Dr. Lucette Gedeon, a pediatrician, had been volunteering at the makeshift neonatal ward since Saturday and said the hospital had run out of antibiotics and anesthetics.

"There have been babies that came in needing limbs amputated after they were trapped under the rubble," Gedeon said.

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Outside, Marceline Charles said her 1-month-old baby was hit by a brick when their house collapsed. The debris also cut a deep wound in the head of her 7-year-old daughter.

"I don't know whether she'll survive," Charles said.

Nearby, Michelle Delva stood next to her sister, Claudine, cradling the injured woman's infant. Delva said that when the earthquake struck, Claudine threw herself on top of her baby to save him from falling bricks. She broke her leg and needs an operation but they had been waiting outside since Saturday.

"She's not getting the attention she needs, the doctors are so busy," Delva said.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry said there was no time to lose.

"From this Monday, we will move faster. Aid provision is going to be accelerated," he wrote on Twitter. "We will multiply efforts tenfold to reach as many victims as possible with aid."

Port-au-Prince airport on Monday bustled with medics and aid workers scrambling to get to the south with supplies.

In addition to damage to some roads in the area, access to Les Cayes has been complicated by months of political turmoil in&nbsp;Haiti, which has left gangs in control of key access routes to parts of the country.

The United Nations called for a "humanitarian corridor"&nbsp;to enable aid to pass through gang-held territories.

It was unclear whether presidential elections planned for November to draw a line under the political confusion&nbsp;since Moise was assassinated could be held.

DIFFICULT TO REACH

At Les Cayes airport, ambulances brought the severely injured from nearby areas, a Reuters witness said. Casualties were carried on stretchers to small aircraft and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to be taken to Port-au-Prince, where hospital services were more intact.

With the phone network down in some areas, aid workers are still calibrating the damage. In difficult-to-reach villages, many houses were fragile and built on slopes vulnerable to landslides, said Alix Percinthe of the ActionAid charity.

Aid workers were hurrying to beat the onset of Tropical Depression Grace, which on Monday evening was moving west-northwest along southern&nbsp;Haiti, dumping heavy rain.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast Grace would churn alongside the quake zone, and could douse some areas with up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain through Tuesday.

Some&nbsp;Haitians who lost their homes have been sleeping outdoors, many traumatized by memories of a magnitude 7 quake https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitians-quake-reawakens-trauma-disaster-decade-ago-2021-08-15 in 2010 that struck far closer to Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people, according to the United Nations.

Those people in the streets would be exposed to rains amid a rising risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, according to Jerry Chandler, head of&nbsp;Haiti's Civil Protection Agency.

"We do have a serious issue," Chandler said on Sunday.

He said boats and helicopters were being used to bring in aid, but the government was working to establish safe access by road. Initial supplies have made it through by land.

In Jeremie, to the northwest of Les Cayes, doctors were forced to treat injured patients on hospital stretchers underneath trees and on mattresses by the side of the road.

Doctors in Haiti on Monday battled in makeshift tents to save the lives of hundreds of injured people, including young children and the elderly, outside hospitals overwhelmed by an earthquake that killed at least 1,419 people.

Doctors in Haiti on Monday battled in makeshift tents to save the lives of hundreds of injured people, including young children and the elderly, outside hospitals overwhelmed by an earthquake that killed at least 1,419 people. While rescue teams toiled to dig out survivors of Saturday's 7.2 magnitude quake, a storm dumped heavy rain on the southern coast of Haiti, bringing flooding near the worst-hit areas and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, local residents said. Deus Deronneth, a politician from the Jacmel region, posted a video on Twitter showing a torrent of water sweeping through a local town and confirmed the flooding to Reuters. The earthquake brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the deeply impoverished country, which is still recovering from a major temblor 11 years ago and the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise, on July 7. ALSO READ | Lake Mead: Colorado basin drought sparks water limits at huge US reservoir Dozens of churches, hotels, homes and schools were seriously damaged or ruined by the quake. Haitian authorities said on Monday afternoon that 1,419 fatalities had been confirmed, with some 6,900 people injured and 37,312 houses destroyed. Data circulating among aid groups indicated over 450 additional deaths had been logged in the hardest-hit department, and Haitian officials warned the toll was likely to rise. The areas in and around the city of Les Cayes - some 150 km (93 miles) west of the Caribbean country's capital Port-au-Prince - suffered the most damage, putting enormous strain on local hospitals, some of which were badly damaged. Collapsed buildings lined the main street of the seafront city of 100,000 people. Dozens of men dug through rubble from a hotel whose owner died in the quake, residents said. ALSO READ | COVID-19: The US eased its travel advisory for India, lowering it to Level 2 The city's general hospital was overwhelmed, with doctors and nurses attending patients in tents in its crowded parking lot because there was no more room inside. Dozens lay on beds and mattresses on the grass outside the hospital. Inside, patients were on stretchers on the floor or on cots in crowded rooms with relatives by their sides. Babies were being transported out of the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit over concerns that the building was unsafe after the quake, according to a Reuters witness. Dr. Lucette Gedeon, a pediatrician, had been volunteering at the makeshift neonatal ward since Saturday and said the hospital had run out of antibiotics and anesthetics. "There have been babies that came in needing limbs amputated after they were trapped under the rubble," Gedeon said. ALSO READ | New Zealand PM Ardern orders snap three-day national lockdown after virus case Outside, Marceline Charles said her 1-month-old baby was hit by a brick when their house collapsed. The debris also cut a deep wound in the head of her 7-year-old daughter. "I don't know whether she'll survive," Charles said. Nearby, Michelle Delva stood next to her sister, Claudine, cradling the injured woman's infant. Delva said that when the earthquake struck, Claudine threw herself on top of her baby to save him from falling bricks. She broke her leg and needs an operation but they had been waiting outside since Saturday. "She's not getting the attention she needs, the doctors are so busy," Delva said. Prime Minister Ariel Henry said there was no time to lose. "From this Monday, we will move faster. Aid provision is going to be accelerated," he wrote on Twitter. "We will multiply efforts tenfold to reach as many victims as possible with aid." Port-au-Prince airport on Monday bustled with medics and aid workers scrambling to get to the south with supplies. In addition to damage to some roads in the area, access to Les Cayes has been complicated by months of political turmoil in Haiti, which has left gangs in control of key access routes to parts of the country. The United Nations called for a "humanitarian corridor" to enable aid to pass through gang-held territories. It was unclear whether presidential elections planned for November to draw a line under the political confusion since Moise was assassinated could be held. DIFFICULT TO REACH At Les Cayes airport, ambulances brought the severely injured from nearby areas, a Reuters witness said. Casualties were carried on stretchers to small aircraft and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to be taken to Port-au-Prince, where hospital services were more intact. With the phone network down in some areas, aid workers are still calibrating the damage. In difficult-to-reach villages, many houses were fragile and built on slopes vulnerable to landslides, said Alix Percinthe of the ActionAid charity. Aid workers were hurrying to beat the onset of Tropical Depression Grace, which on Monday evening was moving west-northwest along southern Haiti, dumping heavy rain. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast Grace would churn alongside the quake zone, and could douse some areas with up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain through Tuesday. Some Haitians who lost their homes have been sleeping outdoors, many traumatized by memories of a magnitude 7 quake https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitians-quake-reawakens-trauma-disaster-decade-ago-2021-08-15 in 2010 that struck far closer to Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people, according to the United Nations. Those people in the streets would be exposed to rains amid a rising risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, according to Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti's Civil Protection Agency. "We do have a serious issue," Chandler said on Sunday. He said boats and helicopters were being used to bring in aid, but the government was working to establish safe access by road. Initial supplies have made it through by land. In Jeremie, to the northwest of Les Cayes, doctors were forced to treat injured patients on hospital stretchers underneath trees and on mattresses by the side of the road.

Storm brings floods as Haitians seek help at overloaded hospitals after quake

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude&nbsp;struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors.&nbsp;

The quake, which rattled homes and frightened locals to flee for safety, struck about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Port-au-Prince, the country's densely populated capital.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-turmoil-haiti-gets-hit-with-deadly-quake-killing-over-300-405544">After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300</a>&nbsp;

The country's civil protection agency said hundreds of people were trapped under rubble and at least 1,800 were injured in the quake that damaged churches, businesses, schools and homes.

Rescuers raced against the clock to find survivors, with the agency tweeting that efforts by "both professional rescuers and members of the public have led to many people being pulled from the rubble," adding that already overburdened hospitals continued to receive injured.

Personnel and medicine were dispatched by Haiti's health ministry to the southwestern peninsula as quickly as possible.

After the first report of 29 fatalities, the death toll climbed steadily throughout the day until it topped 304 hours after the quake.

According to the head of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, hospitals in the worst-hit areas are already struggling to provide emergency care. At least three hospitals were already full.

Several countries quickly pledged support, with the Dominican Republic shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment to Haiti, as well as Joe Biden approving "immediate" assistance efforts.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti."

"The UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts," he tweeted.

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I am following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti. 
&nbsp; 
My heart goes out to all affected by the earthquake. My deepest condolences to all who have lost family and friends. 
&nbsp; 
The <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> is working to support rescue and relief efforts.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) <a href="https://twitter.com/antonioguterres/status/1426607727606910977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to Cuban television, a medical brigade of 253 Cubans has been deployed to Haiti to treat the injured and to adapt a Port-au-Prince hospital previously used for Covid patients.

In Ecuador, Quito's Fire Department reported that it is preparing to send a team of 34 team members to help with urban search and rescue efforts.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/72-magnitude-earthquake-hits-haiti-at-least-304-people-killed-405523/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Haitians "can count on the support of Spain to come through this terrible event."

As Ariel Henry, the prime minister, surveyed the disaster via helicopter, he declared a month-long state of emergency, urging those in the country to not panic.

Tropical Storm Grace could hinder relief efforts in Haiti as of late Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to bring heavy rainfall and flash floods.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute</a>

Merely a&nbsp;month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, this latest earthquake has shaken the nation already plagued with poverty, spiralling gang violence and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors.

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors. The quake, which rattled homes and frightened locals to flee for safety, struck about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Port-au-Prince, the country's densely populated capital. Also read | After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 The country's civil protection agency said hundreds of people were trapped under rubble and at least 1,800 were injured in the quake that damaged churches, businesses, schools and homes. Rescuers raced against the clock to find survivors, with the agency tweeting that efforts by "both professional rescuers and members of the public have led to many people being pulled from the rubble," adding that already overburdened hospitals continued to receive injured. Personnel and medicine were dispatched by Haiti's health ministry to the southwestern peninsula as quickly as possible. After the first report of 29 fatalities, the death toll climbed steadily throughout the day until it topped 304 hours after the quake. According to the head of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, hospitals in the worst-hit areas are already struggling to provide emergency care. At least three hospitals were already full. Several countries quickly pledged support, with the Dominican Republic shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment to Haiti, as well as Joe Biden approving "immediate" assistance efforts. UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti." "The UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts," he tweeted. I am following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti. My heart goes out to all affected by the earthquake. My deepest condolences to all who have lost family and friends. The @UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts. — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 14, 2021 × According to Cuban television, a medical brigade of 253 Cubans has been deployed to Haiti to treat the injured and to adapt a Port-au-Prince hospital previously used for Covid patients. In Ecuador, Quito's Fire Department reported that it is preparing to send a team of 34 team members to help with urban search and rescue efforts. Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Haitians "can count on the support of Spain to come through this terrible event." As Ariel Henry, the prime minister, surveyed the disaster via helicopter, he declared a month-long state of emergency, urging those in the country to not panic. Tropical Storm Grace could hinder relief efforts in Haiti as of late Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to bring heavy rainfall and flash floods. Also read | Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute Merely a month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, this latest earthquake has shaken the nation already plagued with poverty, spiralling gang violence and COVID-19. (With inputs from agencies)

Haiti Earthquake: Nation searches for survivors, rescue efforts underway as at least 304 killed

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 227 people and injuring many others&nbsp;around the country, and raising fears of Tsunami.

Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter.

The epicentre of this strong quake was nearly 100 miles (160 kilometres) from the centre of the densely populated capital Port-au-Prince.

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💔🇭🇹🕯️ My heart goes out to Haiti. Aug 14, 2021. Magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the south of the country. <a href="https://t.co/lljbOET73M">pic.twitter.com/lljbOET73M</a>
— Centre Toussaint (@CentreToussaint) <a href="https://twitter.com/CentreToussaint/status/1426567171690450946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-areas-in-japan-issue-evacuation-alert-after-floods-and-landslides-405378">Several areas in Japan issue evacuation alert after floods and landslides</a>

The USGS issued a Tsunami warning immediately after the earthquake. The experts calculated the possibility of waves of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) along the coastline of Haiti. While the warning has been, reportedly, lifted now, locals have been told to exercise caution.

Meanwhile, the US President Joe Biden has approved immediate help for the grieving nation. "The president authorized an immediate US response, and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power... to coordinate this effort," a senior White House official said.

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We need more than prayers <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Haiti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Haiti</a> 😭 <a href="https://t.co/tWaQn26NH5">pic.twitter.com/tWaQn26NH5</a>
— ✨Nene 🇭🇹 (@yntch0) <a href="https://twitter.com/yntch0/status/1426571695238811654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Saturday’s earthquake has reminded people of the 2010 which took thousands of lives, flattened several buildings and left the country struggling economically for years.

This earthquake has also come a little after the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, who was gunned down in his home. His assassination had sent the country into a political crisis, as the country was already struggling to control the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> pandemic.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 227 people and injuring many others around the country, and raising fears of Tsunami. Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 227 people and injuring many others around the country, and raising fears of Tsunami. Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter. The epicentre of this strong quake was nearly 100 miles (160 kilometres) from the centre of the densely populated capital Port-au-Prince. 💔🇭🇹🕯️ My heart goes out to Haiti. Aug 14, 2021. Magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the south of the country. pic.twitter.com/lljbOET73M — Centre Toussaint (@CentreToussaint) August 14, 2021 × Also read | Several areas in Japan issue evacuation alert after floods and landslides The USGS issued a Tsunami warning immediately after the earthquake. The experts calculated the possibility of waves of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) along the coastline of Haiti. While the warning has been, reportedly, lifted now, locals have been told to exercise caution. Meanwhile, the US President Joe Biden has approved immediate help for the grieving nation. "The president authorized an immediate US response, and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power... to coordinate this effort," a senior White House official said. We need more than prayers #Haiti 😭 pic.twitter.com/tWaQn26NH5 — ✨Nene 🇭🇹 (@yntch0) August 14, 2021 × Saturday’s earthquake has reminded people of the 2010 which took thousands of lives, flattened several buildings and left the country struggling economically for years. This earthquake has also come a little after the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, who was gunned down in his home. His assassination had sent the country into a political crisis, as the country was already struggling to control the coronavirus pandemic.

At least 227 people dead, several injured in Haiti's 7.2 magnitude earthquake

An earthquake hit northern Haiti late on Saturday, killing at least 14 people and sparking a scramble by rescue agencies to help residents of the worst-hit towns in the impoverished Caribbean country.

A local official said at least eight people died in Port-de-Paix on the northern coast near the epicenter of the magnitude 5.9 quake, which struck at a depth of 11.7 kilometres (7.3 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Four people were killed in and around the town of Gros-Morne farther south, local authorities said, including a woman who died from a heart attack suffered after the quake.

Another person was killed in the town of Chansolme when a house collapsed and one other person in Saint-Louis-du-Nord. Rescue teams fanned out to help residents, many of whom were still dealing with the trauma of a devastating earthquake in 2010.

A magnitude 5.2 aftershock on Sunday afternoon sent people rushing into the street in Port-de-Paix, with many vowing that they would not sleep inside their houses that night.

Marie Lourdes Estainvil, 45, raised her hands and loudly sang, "Jesus, we need your presence among us!" as others gathered.

There were no immediate reports of further damage from the aftershock.

President Jovenel Moise said he would send additional police and military to the region, promising to assist the families of victims.

Some houses in the worst-affected areas were destroyed by the earthquake, the agency said. The full extent of the damage was not clear though in parts of Port-de-Paix residents tried to go about their business normally on Sunday.

A local government representative said 152 people were injured in Port-de-Paix, and the most seriously hurt were taken by air ambulance to the capital Port-au-Prince for treatment. Another 30 were injured in Gros-Morne.

Among the damaged buildings was a church in the northern town of Plaisance, the civil protection agency said, adding that additional food and medical supplies were on their way to the most battered towns.

The tremor was one of the strongest to batter Haiti since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck near the capital in 2010. It killed tens of thousands of people.

An earthquake hit northern Haiti late on Saturday, killing at least 14 people and sparking a scramble by rescue agencies to help residents of the worst-hit towns in the impoverished Caribbean country.

An earthquake hit northern Haiti late on Saturday, killing at least 14 people and sparking a scramble by rescue agencies to help residents of the worst-hit towns in the impoverished Caribbean country. A local official said at least eight people died in Port-de-Paix on the northern coast near the epicenter of the magnitude 5.9 quake, which struck at a depth of 11.7 kilometres (7.3 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Four people were killed in and around the town of Gros-Morne farther south, local authorities said, including a woman who died from a heart attack suffered after the quake. Another person was killed in the town of Chansolme when a house collapsed and one other person in Saint-Louis-du-Nord. Rescue teams fanned out to help residents, many of whom were still dealing with the trauma of a devastating earthquake in 2010. A magnitude 5.2 aftershock on Sunday afternoon sent people rushing into the street in Port-de-Paix, with many vowing that they would not sleep inside their houses that night. Marie Lourdes Estainvil, 45, raised her hands and loudly sang, "Jesus, we need your presence among us!" as others gathered. There were no immediate reports of further damage from the aftershock. President Jovenel Moise said he would send additional police and military to the region, promising to assist the families of victims. Some houses in the worst-affected areas were destroyed by the earthquake, the agency said. The full extent of the damage was not clear though in parts of Port-de-Paix residents tried to go about their business normally on Sunday. A local government representative said 152 people were injured in Port-de-Paix, and the most seriously hurt were taken by air ambulance to the capital Port-au-Prince for treatment. Another 30 were injured in Gros-Morne. Among the damaged buildings was a church in the northern town of Plaisance, the civil protection agency said, adding that additional food and medical supplies were on their way to the most battered towns. The tremor was one of the strongest to batter Haiti since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck near the capital in 2010. It killed tens of thousands of people.

Haiti quake kills at least 14, aftershock jolts nervous residents

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