Port-au-Prince, 14 August – A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck western Haiti on Saturday morning, reportedly causing serious casualties and damage to buildings, roads and bridges. Save the Children is extremely concerned about the impact that earthquake will have on children and families, many of whom were already experiencing extreme poverty, hunger and violence.
Save the Children has offices in Camp Perrin and Les Cayes and plans to respond.
Leila Bourahla, Save the Children’s Haiti country director said:
“Staff in the region are seeing horrific devastation—dozens of collapsed houses, numerous injured people and fatalities. While it will take days to assess the full scale of the damage, it is clear that this is a massive humanitarian emergency. We must respond quickly and decisively. Children are always the worst affected and I am very concerned about their immediate safety.”
Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978, providing nutrition, early learning, and water and sanitation programs. The international humanitarian organization responded when Hurricane Matthew struck the same area in 2016, and following the 2010 earthquake.
ENDS
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