Haiti authorities have confirmed that at least 29 people were killed after a strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday. The epicenter of the quake was approximately 12 km North East of Saint-Louis du Sud and 100 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince. Tremors were also felt in neighbouring countries including the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Island. Following the quake, the U.S. Geological Survey issued a tsunami warning, which was soon lifted. 

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Meanwhile, photos and videos shared on social media showed structural damage. 

Saturday’s earthquake was similar in strength to the devastating quake in 2010 that killed an estimated 300,000 people. A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the country in 2018, killing more than a dozen people. 

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Naomi Verneus, a 34-year-old resident of Port-au-Prince, told AP that she was jolted awake by the earthquake and that her bed was shaking.

“I woke up and didn’t have time to put my shoes on. We lived the 2010 earthquake and all I could do was run. I later remembered my two kids and my mother were still inside. My neighbor went in and told them to get out. We ran to the street,” Verneus told AP.

On the tiny island of Ile-a-Vache, about 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) from Les Cayes, the quake damaged a seaside resort popular with Haitian officials, business leaders, diplomats and humanitarian workers. Fernand Sajous, owner of the Abaka Bay Resort, said by telephone that nine of the hotel’s 30 rooms collapsed, but he said they were vacant at the time and no one was injured, according to reports from Associated Press.

Multiple countries joined hands and offered humanitarian assistance to Haiti, including the United States, Argentina and Chile. US President Joe Biden said that the country will provide assistance assessing the damage caused by the quake and also contribute to rebuilding efforts.