Haiti earthquake: death toll rises to more than 700

One day after the severe earthquake in Haiti, more and more victims are rescued: More than 700 people lost their lives, hundreds are missing. And now a tropical storm is also approaching.

The death toll rose to more than 700 after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. So far, 724 bodies have been recovered, said the disaster control authority. Hundreds more people are still missing, and more than 2,800 people were injured in the 7.2 magnitude quake on Saturday.

The tremors caused severe damage. Countless buildings collapsed, including a multi-story hotel in the town of Les Cayes. Meanwhile, the tropical storm “Grace” is approaching the bitterly poor Caribbean country. It should hit land on Monday evening with heavy rain and should make the rescue and search work even more difficult.

The director of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, said some places had been completely razed to the ground and hospitals could no longer accept the many injured, especially in the coastal town of Les Cayes, which is home to around 126,000 people. “The most important thing now is to pull as many survivors as possible out of the rubble.” Chandler said the need was tremendous. The International Red Cross is already working to care for the injured.

Interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was visiting the affected area. He declared a month-long emergency. He appealed to the population to “show solidarity” and not panic.

USA offers help – Federal Foreign Office warns

US President Joe Biden announced aid for the victims of the disaster: “The United States remains a close and constant friend to the Haitian people, and we will be there even after this tragedy,” said a statement from the US President. “We express our deepest condolences to all those who have lost a loved one or whose homes and businesses have been destroyed,” said Biden.

The Federal Foreign Office called for people to avoid the earthquake area: “Numerous deaths and injuries as well as severe damage to buildings and infrastructure must be expected. Strong aftershocks will continue to occur.” Travelers should avoid the affected area, it said in the travel and safety information. Travel to Haiti has been strongly discouraged for a long time.

Difficult communication

The epicenter of the magnitude 7.2 quake was twelve kilometers from the municipality of Saint-Luis-du-Sud, and the southern peninsula of Haiti in particular was affected by the quake. The tremors were felt all over Haiti as far as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

Numerous cell phone videos show people running into the streets in a panic, countless collapsed buildings can be seen. The full extent of the damage is currently not foreseeable – rescue workers speak of difficult communication with the affected regions.

The aid organization Save the Children expressed great concern for the children in Haiti. The organization’s staff on site reported “terrible devastation”. Even if it will take days to capture the full extent of the damage, it is already clear that Haiti is in the midst of a humanitarian emergency.

Lessons from the 2010 earthquake

During the day, non-governmental organizations met with government officials to coordinate the aid. The government wants to avoid the mistakes made in 2010: the earthquake that hit the capital, Port-au-Prince, in particular, killed more than 220,000 people. And so the people who can no longer go back to their homes should not be housed in collective camps this time, but as close as possible to their place of residence – or with family members.

In Haiti there are hardly any functioning state structures to provide rapid aid. The poor Caribbean country is in a serious political crisis. On July 7th, President Jovenel Moise was assassinated and the country is run by a transitional government. Criminal gangs also create a climate of insecurity. Around 4.4 million of the approximately eleven million Haitians live below the poverty line.

The difficult political situation could also endanger the work of aid workers. “I think, more than the weak institutions, it is the poor infrastructure and the lack of resources that really affect the country’s ability to react to the situation,” says Annalisa Lombardo of Welthungerhilfe.

Haiti is repeatedly hit by natural disasters. After the devastating January 2010 earthquake, a hurricane killed hundreds of people in 2016. Tropical storm “Grace” is likely to reach Haiti on Monday or Tuesday, which could make the current situation even worse.