SILVER SPRING, Md. -A devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit southern Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, destroying buildings and triggering tsunami alerts for Haiti and the surrounding islands in the Caribbean.
Within the first hour, the earthquake, which struck 10 miles (15 kilometers) outside the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, was followed by two powerful aftershocks registering at a magnitude of 5.9 and 5.5 respectively. According to government officials, this is the strongest earthquake that has ever struck the region.
"I think it is really a catastrophe of major proportions," reported Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the United States telling Atlanta-based news agency CNN.
At present, no reports of deaths or injuries have been announced, however some early reports indicate extensive damage to infrastructure in some areas. The Associated Press reported that a hospital collapsed during the quake.
ADRA is currently monitoring and evaluating the situation. Updates will be released as response efforts expand.
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ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org.
Author: Nadia McGill
For more information, contact:
John Torres, Senior Public Relations Manager
301.680.6357 (office)
301.680.6370 (fax)
John.Torres@adra.org