Haiti: At least three killed in earthquake days after deadly floods hit Caribbean nation

At least three people were killed in a 4.9-magnitude earthquake which shook western Haiti early Tuesday (June 6), as per media reports, while the nation was still reeling from the devastating floods. This comes as theCaribbean nationfaces floods triggered by torrential rains which,leaving aleast 42 people dead in the past couple of days.

Earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday

The United States Geological Survey reported that a 4.9-magnitude quake struck at a depth of just 10 kilometres with the epicentre near Les Abricots areain the Grand'Anse department,which is nearly 300 kilometres west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

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Officials told the Associated Press that three deaths had been confirmed so far after a house collapsed.

Christine Monquele, head of the civil protection agency in Grand’Anse, told news agency AFP, “They are members of the same family and were killed when their house collapsed.”Additionally, the agency also confirmed that some 28 people have been injured and that the search for “other possible casualties” is underway.

A World Food Programme official in Jeremie told the AP that things fell around his house after the earthquake, on Tuesday.“I thought the whole house was going to fall on top of me,” said Eric Mpitabakana, which has prompted him and his colleagues to contemplate sleeping outdoors in case of aftershocks.

At least 42 killed, dozens injured after floods

The Caribbean nation is reeling from heavy rainfall and flooding that havekilled at least 42 people and injured dozens of others in the past couple of days, said the officials on Monday. According to reports, more than 13,500 homes had also been damaged due to the floods.

The civil protection agency confirmed the death toll which had risen over the weekend after various parts of the country, including the capital, were hit by rains and floods. In a statement, on Sunday, Prime Minister Ariel Henry said “My government, together with national and international institutions, is adopting urgent measures to meet the demands of the day.”

The coastal city of Jeremie, which is in southwestern Grand’Anse and relatively isolated from the rest of the nation, also witnessed disruptions in transport after the main road linking the region with the capital city was affected by thethree rivers bursting their banks in recent days. Officials from the World Food Programme also said that they would start providing hot meals to the displaced due to the floods.

(With inputs from agencies)

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