Death toll in Saturday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti is almost up to 1300 as the nation comes to grip with recent calamities. The country is still shaking from the assassination of its President and a surge in gang violence.
Amid all this chaos the country prone to earthquakes, was hit by 7.2 magnitude tremor on Saturday.
Around 13,600 buildings were destroyed and over 13,700 damaged. The earthquake has left over 5,700 people injured.
The rescue operations are being hampered as landslides and aftershocks continue in some regions. The rescuers now face a big challenge as Tropical Depression Grace approaches, raising fears of torrential rainfall, flash floods and mudslides from late Monday, according to the US National Weather Service.
The United States and other nations have pledged to help Haiti cope with this latest disaster.
Haiti’s neighbor the Dominican Republic said it was shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment. Mexico also sent an aid shipment. Cuba and Ecuador dispatched medical or search-and-rescue teams.
And Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help, as did the United Nations.
(Featured image Bloomberg)