Injuries, Damage Reported in Haiti After Powerful 5.9 Earthquake Strikes

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck off the northwestern tip of Haiti Saturday evening.
The quake's center was located about 12 miles west-northwest of Ti Port-de-Paix and struck with a depth of about 7.3 miles.
Several people have been injured and structures were damaged, including a church and a hospital.

The quake's center was located about 12 miles west-northwest of Ti Port-de-Paix, Haiti, and struck with a depth of about 7.3, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Several people were injured and houses were destroyed in Port-de-Paix, Gros Morne, Chansolme and Turtle Island, according to a statement from the country’s civil protection agency. Among the structures damaged was the Saint-Michel church in Plaisance.

Rescue workers say part of a hospital and an auditorium collapsed as the quake hit on a rainy evening, reports the Associated Press.

The quake was felt lightly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as in the neighboring Dominican Republic.

Haiti, an earthquake-prone country, sits along the "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped area where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. A powerful 7.1 quake damaged much of the capital in 2010 and killed roughly 300,000 people.

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