In Haiti, rescuers struggle to find survivors of fatal quake as storm nears

Rescuers have stepped up search operations to save survivors trapped under the buildings razed to the ground by a recent deadly earthquake, as an approaching storm is expected to wreck more havoc on the Caribbean country.

On Saturday, a 7.2 magnitude quake rocked the impoverished country about 125 kilometers west of the capital Port-au-Prince, killing at least 1,419 people, according to Haiti’s civil protection agency.

The preliminary toll on Monday put the number of injured at 6,900 and predicted a rise in the casualties due to the storm, which has started to move along the southern coast of the country.

Ten of Thousands of building have been destroyed and more than 37,000 families have become homeless after the quake, according to Haiti officials.

Now, rescue workers are struggling to find and save the survivors from under the rubble as heavy rain falls from Tropical Storm Grace may lead to flooding and possible mudslides.

According to the US National Hurricane Center, Haiti could expect five to 10 inches of rain from fast-approaching Grace, “with isolated maximum totals of 15 inches (38 cm)” alongside the quake zone in the southern areas through Tuesday.

The earthquake generated a series of aftershocks, between magnitude 4.2 and 5.2, increasing concerns about hospitals and buildings vulnerable to collapse.

The wild winds and heavy rains have pushed Haitians to return to damaged buildings for shelter. Hospitals have also moved patients back from their courtyards into ready-to-collapse buildings.

The quake hit Haiti amid a political crisis, which broke out after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated last month. Prior to the tremor, gang violence had already escalated and the country was facing growing hunger and healthcare issues due to the coronavirus.

Les Cayes on the southwest boarder of Haiti, 153 km west of the country’s capital, has suffered the most damage. The city’s local hospitals are overwhelmed and doctors and nurses have been attending patients in tents and parking lots. However, access to Les Cayes has been complicated due to gang control of key access routes to parts of the country.

The United Nations called for the formation of a “humanitarian corridor” to enable aid to pass through gang-held territories.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry has declared a one-month nationwide state of emergency, urging the population to “show solidarity.”