Earthquake of 2021…
August, 2021. Another large earthquake rocked Haiti to the northwest of the capital city. While far fewer people were killed than in the 2010 earthquake, it none the less was a major 7.2 magnitude and took the lives of more that 2200 people. Details of the earthquake can be viewed on Wikipedia.
Planting Hope responded with food and shelter relief. Supplies were purchased in Cap-Haitian and carried to church members who were forced out of their homes on the Tiburon Peninsula west of the capital. Planting Hope friends and family made resources available so Sonel could purchase and deliver them to those in the earthquake zone. Ayo Ojikutu and Kim Greenfield were among that who responded quickly to the needs.
We were able to supply 200 large sacks of rice, 200 gallons of cooking oil, 200 bags of spaghetti, and enough funds to rebuild 3 houses for families who lost their homes. The 2021 earthquake initial shock registered a magnitude of 7.2. The economic loss from this earthquake is estimated at over 1.5 billion US dollars, over 10% of the country’s economy.
The city of Les Cayes, Haiti’s third-largest city, was the closest to the epicenter of the earthquake. The city suffered extensive damage including many collapsed homes, places of worship, and commercial buildings. According to the Haitian Civil Protection Agency, at least 37,300 or more homes were destroyed and 46,000 others were damaged as of August 16. The Haitian Civil Protection General Directorate later reported that more than 60,700 homes have been destroyed and 76,100 others have sustained damages as of August 18. There were also a number of hotels that were severely damaged or collapsed. At least 53 medical facilities suffered partial damage while six were totally destroyed. In addition to that, the quake damaged or destroyed 1,060 schools.