A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey said, with some damage already reported. The long shock was felt throughout the country and material damage was recorded in the southwestern peninsula of the island. It is reported to have originated 5 kilometres from Petit-Trou-de-Nippes in Haiti. The quake has affected other countries such as Jamaica, The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Minor Outlying Islands, and Cuba.The US Geological Survey said it's likely that casualties are "high" after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck near Haiti Saturday morning. "High casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," according to the USGS. Haiti's Civil Protection told CNN there have been fatalities and damage. The earthquake was about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and 10 kilometers deep, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). "There are reports of significant damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure," American Red Cross spokeswoman Katie Wilkes said.
The earthquake, which was felt in the capital of Port-au-Prince, had triggered a tsunami threat in the Caribbean country but it was later canceled. Naomi Verneus, 34, who lives in Port-au-Prince, said 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," she said. "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."
