Drone footage showed the devastation caused by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti that killed 1,419 people and injured 6,500, according to the latest figures.
The quake, which occurred about 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of Port-au-Prince on Saturday, caused landslides and the complete destruction of two communities. Several aftershocks were also felt.
About 7,000 homes were destroyed and about 5,000 damaged, including hospitals, schools, offices and churches in the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
Footage taken from above on Sunday showed structures reduced to rubble and entire neighborhoods of towns like Le Can, on Haiti’s coast, practically turned to dust.
Rescuers were also searching for survivors before the arrival of Tropical Storm Grace, which reached Haiti Monday night.
Henriette Faure, executive director of Unicef, told reporters that many Haitians are in desperate need of medical care, clean water and shelter — families in Les Cenes are forced to sleep on the soccer field after their homes collapsed.
In Martissant, on Haiti’s southern coast, local authorities were forced to negotiate with local gangs to allow a U.N. humanitarian aid convoy through.
Prime Minister and acting President Ariel Henry told reporters Sunday that he was declaring a state of emergency throughout Haiti after the earthquake, which was the worst in 11 years.
“We applaud the dignity, the resilience of the victims and their ability to start over,” Mr. Henry said as first-aid convoys reached the hardest-hit communities.
“From my observations, I have concluded that Haitians want to live and grow. Let us come together to offer these people living conditions conducive to development.”
