A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near the northernmost tip of Haiti late on Oct. 6, killing at least 11 people and injuring hundreds more after buildings were damaged, authorities and media reported.
Séisme en Haïti : 11 morts et des centaines de blesses, selon un premier bilan partiel
11 morts et plusieurs centaines de blessées, tel est le premier bilan officiel obtenu par Le Nouvelliste à la suite du… https://t.co/l1JSdwRcN1
— Le Nouvelliste (@nouvelliste) October 7, 2018
The quake struck about 12.3 miles (20 kms), west-northwest of the port of Port-de-Paix, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. Local media reported at least one death.
The quake was one of the strongest to hit Haiti since a 7.0 magnitude quake struck near the capital Port-au-Prince in 2010, killing thousands of people in the impoverished Caribbean country.
In a post on Twitter, Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise urged people to remain calm after the civil protection agency said the quake caused injuries and panic in northern towns.
J’exhorte la population à garder son calme, suite au passage du séisme dont l’épicentre est localisé dans les côtes du Nord-ouest. Le système de gestion de risques et les directions régionales de la Protection civile sont en alerte pour assister les habitants des zones touchées.
— Président Jovenel Moïse (@moisejovenel) October 7, 2018
Le Nouvelliste newspaper said earlier that at least one person had died when an auditorium collapsed in the town of Gros Morne, and that detainees were released from a police holding cell that was damaged. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.
The tremor damaged the facade of a church in the town of Plaisance and a house next door collapsed, Frantz Duval, a journalist with Le Nouvelliste, said on Twitter.
Initial reports on social media said Saturday’s quake was felt in Port-au-Prince but had not caused major damage there.
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