Haiti authorities have confirmed that at least 304 people were killed after a strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the country on Saturday. Additionally, at least 1,800 people have been left injured, according to US media reports.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was rushing aid to areas where towns were destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed with incoming patients, according to Associated Press reports.

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The epicentre 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. 

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.

Furthermore, Henry declared a one-month state of emergency for the whole country and said he would not ask for international help until the extent of the damages was known. He said some towns were almost completely razed and the government had people in the coastal town of Les Cayes to help plan and coordinate the response.

“The most important thing is to recover as many survivors as possible under the rubble,” said Henry, according to AP inputs. “We have learned that the local hospitals, in particular that of Les Cayes, are overwhelmed with wounded, fractured people.”