A tsunami watch has been issued in the Caribbean after a major earthquake struck the island of Haiti.
Breaking News10:47pm UK, Tuesday January 12, 2010
Tsunami Fears After Haiti Earthquake
A tsunami watch has been issued in the Caribbean after a major earthquake struck the island of Haiti.
Substantial damages and casualties are expected following the quake, which measured 7.3 on the Richter scale, and two powerful aftershocks which followed.
A hospital and a three-storey building in Petionville have reportedly collapsed.
A reporter for the AFP agency said a tractor was already at the scene trying to dig out victims as people fled onto the streets of the impoverished country in panic.
No details on causualties were immediately available.
The epicentre of the quake, which was initially reported off the coast, was located inland, only 10 miles from the capital Port-au-Prince.
It was followed by two powerful aftershocks, measuring 5.9 and 5.5 on Richter scale.
The tsunami watch is in effect for Haiti, the neighbouring Dominican Republic, with which it shares the island of Hispaniola, Cuba and the Bahamas.
A US government official in Haiti reported seeing houses that had tumbled into a ravine.
"Everybody is just totally, totally freaked out and shaken," said Henry Bahn, a visiting official with the US Department of Agriculture.
"The sky is just gray with dust."
Mr Bahn said there were rocks strewn all over the place and he saw a ravine where several homes had been built.
"It's just full of collapsed walls and rubble and barbed wire," he said.
Earthquake Hits Haiti: US Geological Survey Issues Tsunami Warning | World News | Sky News
Breaking News10:47pm UK, Tuesday January 12, 2010
Tsunami Fears After Haiti Earthquake
A tsunami watch has been issued in the Caribbean after a major earthquake struck the island of Haiti.
Substantial damages and casualties are expected following the quake, which measured 7.3 on the Richter scale, and two powerful aftershocks which followed.
A hospital and a three-storey building in Petionville have reportedly collapsed.
A reporter for the AFP agency said a tractor was already at the scene trying to dig out victims as people fled onto the streets of the impoverished country in panic.
No details on causualties were immediately available.
The epicentre of the quake, which was initially reported off the coast, was located inland, only 10 miles from the capital Port-au-Prince.
It was followed by two powerful aftershocks, measuring 5.9 and 5.5 on Richter scale.
The tsunami watch is in effect for Haiti, the neighbouring Dominican Republic, with which it shares the island of Hispaniola, Cuba and the Bahamas.
A US government official in Haiti reported seeing houses that had tumbled into a ravine.
"Everybody is just totally, totally freaked out and shaken," said Henry Bahn, a visiting official with the US Department of Agriculture.
"The sky is just gray with dust."
Mr Bahn said there were rocks strewn all over the place and he saw a ravine where several homes had been built.
"It's just full of collapsed walls and rubble and barbed wire," he said.
Earthquake Hits Haiti: US Geological Survey Issues Tsunami Warning | World News | Sky News
