Haiti braces for huge earthquake death toll

Thousands of people are feared dead after a massive earthquake struck the Haitian capital, toppling the presidential palace and hillside shanties alike.

In the space of a minute, the magnitude 7.0 quake, with an inland epicenter of only 6.2 miles (10 km) from Port-au-Prince, sent panic-stricken people screaming into the streets on Tuesday as a cloud of dust and smoke rose into the sky.

The quake, described as the country’s most powerful trembler in 200 years, was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude.

They prompted a tsunami watch for parts of the Caribbean which was later canceled.

Scores of buildings and homes, including a five-story building at the headquarters of the UN mission in Port-au-Prince, collapsed to the ground.

A “large number” of UN personnel were reported missing by the organization.

The gleaming white Presidential Palace and the Ministry of Commerce were also among the dozens of buildings damaged. President Rene Preval, however, escaped the ruins unharmed, CNN said.

The Hotel Montana, where many foreigners stay, was also damaged.

As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is believed to be ill-equipped to deal with such a disaster.

Describing the earthquake as a “catastrophe,” Haiti’s envoy to the US appealed to the world for help.

“I am appealing to the world to do what they did for us back in 2008 when four hurricanes hit Haiti,” Raymond Alcide Joseph stressed.

US President Barack Obama also pledged immediate aid to the impoverished nation, adding that his “thoughts and prayers” were with the people of Haiti.

The Inter-American Development Bank, meanwhile, said it would provide USD 200,000 in immediate emergency aid.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also sent a message to the poor Caribbean nation expressing his sorrow for the people of Haiti.

A number of other nations, including the UK, France and Venezuela, are also gearing up to send aid to the crisis-hit country.