More than 700 people were confirmed dead Sunday and many thousands more injured and left homeless due to the large earthquake which struck Haiti on Saturday.
The Haitian government has declared a state of emergency following the 7.2 quake and the Office of Civil Protection put the official death toll Sunday afternoon at 724 individuals with approximately 2,800 injured—though both numbers are almost certain to rise.
According to the Guardian:
Aftershocks were felt throughout the day and through the night. Many people left homeless or frightened that their fractured homes would collapse stayed in the streets to sleep – if their nerves allowed.
In the badly damaged coastal town of Les Cayes, some families salvaged their few belongings and spent the night at an open-air football pitch. On Sunday morning, people lined up to buy what little was available: bananas, avocados and water at a local street market.
The prime minister, Ariel Henry, said he was rushing aid to areas where towns were destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed with patients.
As the search for survivors continued on Sunday, fears grew that Tropical Storm Grace—currently on a path towards Haiti—could hamper rescue and recovery efforts in the coming days.
