Earthquake death tolls climbs as tropical storm bears down on Haiti
By Laura Gottesdiener
August 16, 2021 — 1.46am
Port-au-Prince: The death toll from a devastating earthquake in Haiti rose to 724 on Sunday as rescue workers scrambled to find survivors buried under buildings a day after the 7.2 magnitude quake struck.
Rescue efforts were made all the more frantic due to a tropical storm making its way towards the Caribbean nation.
The quake flattened hundreds of homes and buildings in a country still clawing its way back from another major temblor 11 years ago and reeling from the assassination of its president last month.
South-west Haiti bore the brunt of the blow, especially in the region in and around the city of Les Cayes.
In a news conference on Sunday, Haitian officials said the toll from the disaster had climbed to 724 as the rescue work continued.
Churches, hotels, hospitals and schools were badly damaged or destroyed, while the walls of a prison were cracked open by the violent tremors that convulsed Haiti.
More:
https://www.theage.com.au/world/central-america/earthquake-death-tolls-climbs-as-tropical-storm-bears-down-on-haiti-20210816-p58ize.html