Earthquake strikes Haiti, leaving at least 4 dead days after deadly floods

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake hit the southwestern region of Haiti early Tuesday morning, killing at least four individuals and injuring 36 others, authorities said. 

The earthquake struck the coastal city of Jeremie in the Grand’Anse department, about 186 miles (300 kilometers) from the capital of Port-au-Prince. The quake had a shallow depth of six miles (10 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

The earthquake left four people dead, three of which were from the same family, according to Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency. They were found under a collapsed house. At least one other house collapsed from the shake, killing one other victim. Authorities are searching the rubble in case there are more victims or survivors. 

Additionally, several children panicked and ran outside from the earthquake, leading to several injuries and hospitalizations. 

“There were so many people out on the street and a lot of panic,” Eric Mpitabakana, a World Food Program official in Jeremie, told The Associated Press.

The earthquake struck almost two years after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing at least 2,200 people. Previous to this week’s earthquake, there had been several smaller earthquakes that occurred in the southern region of the country. 

The earthquake comes days after Haiti also experienced heavy floods triggered by torrential rains, which left more than 31,600 homes underwater. At least 51 people were killed and 140 others were injured from the floods, according to Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency. Eleven others continue to remain missing. 

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said his administration and international partners were taking “urgent measures” to deal with the flooding. 

“Disasters keep hitting Haiti, left and right,” said Dr. Didinu Tamakloe, Haiti director for Project Hope, a U.S. aid organization. “People have not had sufficient time to recover from previous disasters, only to be hit by flash floods, an earthquake, and landslides in a matter of days.”