A major earthquake struck western Haiti on Saturday, likely causing high casualties and widespread disaster, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and sending shock waves across the Caribbean, where people fled their homes for fear they might collapse.
The 7.2-magnitude earthquake quake struck 8 km (5 miles) from the town of Petit Trou de Nippes, about 150 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince, at a depth of 10 km, the USGS said.
That made the earthquake potentially bigger and shallower than the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Haiti 11 years ago, killing tens if not hundreds of thousands of people, flattening buildings and leaving many homeless.
(Reuters, August 14, 2021)
Only God knows why, but this country seems cursed. Just weeks ago, in my podcast episode, “Assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse: Wither Haiti…” on July 24, I recounted the reasons why, and lamented the compassion fatigue that risked abandoning Haitians on an island of terminal despair.
I pray God forgives me, but I actually thought the tsunami that occasioned this earthquake might be a silver lining. I rationalized that it would drown these hapless people in their sorrows and be done with it, mercifully.
I know. But you know the routine by now. So here’s to doing all we can to help these godforsaken people … again.
Related commentaries:
Haiti podcast… Haiti earthquake…
Legacy Note: With over 5,600 posts spanning 20 years, I am easily the most prolific blogger on the most eclectic array of topics on the web. That makes The iPINIONS Journal an unparalleled archive of informed political and cultural commentary. Visit the ARCHIVES section in the sidebar or search by topic. You won’t find a more consistent, independent voice on world affairs.