Haiti struck by deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake

On Saturday, 14th August, a 7.2 earthquake hit Haiti. The epicenter of the earthquake was 12 kilometers northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and 10 kilometers deep, close to our Novitiate and Postulancy houses. All the Brothers and those in formation are well, as are other Marist houses and schools, which have some minor cracks. A 7.0-magnitude quake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, leaving an estimated 220,000 dead, some 1.5 million people displaced and about 300,000 injured.

Below is a comunication from the Marist Province of México Occidental.

Greetings, Brothers and Lay Marists.

This morning, Haiti woke up (7:29 am, local time) to a 7.2 earthquake with epicentre in “Nippes”, in the south of the island, near our houses of the Postulancy and Novitiate.

Our confreres and people in formation are reported to be fine, as are our houses and schools, with some minor cracks. The most damaged towns are those close to the epicentre. In Latibolière they report fallen buildings of the parish priest’s house, the Church and the parish primary school. In Jérémie, there is damage to the main avenue and the façade of the cathedral.

We will communicate later about the families of our brothers and sisters and our teachers and pupils. In the meantime, we place the Haitian people in the hands of God, our Father and Mary, our Good Mother.

H. Sergio Cáceres – Secretary of the Council