Haiti marks 9th anniversary of deadly earthquake

Reuters | Haitian President Jovenel Moïse led tributes on Saturday to the victims of the country’s deadly earthquake on the 9th anniversary of the tragedy.

Moïse called on the nation to remember the more than 200,000 people who were killed by the earthquake. With the Caribbean nation still grappling with sharp social and political divisions nearly 10 years on, Moïse called on the country to come together.”

According to some estimates, the 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which struck on January 12, 2010, with an epicenter 25 kilometers (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, was the 5th most serious in history.

Although the epicenter was in Leogane, some 25 km (16 miles) from Port-au-Prince, it ravaged much of the capital, including landmarks such as the presidential palace, the National Cathedral, the UN mission’s headquarters, and the main hotel.

The natural disaster also sparked a massive displacement crisis, leaving almost 1.5 million people homeless.

Buildings throughout Port-au-Prince crumbled and collapsed as the quake struck on a Tuesday evening, burying thousands of residents.

Haiti marks the ninth anniversary of deadly quake