Earthquake and Tropical Storm Update

Earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace Update

Haiti’s Tiburon peninsula is the southwest arm of the country and encompasses nearly all its southern coast.  The epicenter of the earthquake Saturday 14 August was centered on this peninsula in the Nippes Department.  At the time of this writing, estimates are that more than 2100 people lost their lives, 12,000 were injured and more than 30,000 displaced because of the quake (https://apnews.com/article/business-health-caribbean-coronavirus-pandemic-haiti-7901eacc8e6901885d6e6cd0b115bb40).   Tuesday 17 August Tropical Storm Grace hit this same region with a torrent of rain and wind, adding to the destruction and hampering relief efforts (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/18/world/americas/haiti-earthquake-grace.html) .

Many of you have asked about the community of Pignon, where Loving Haiti focuses our work.

In short, Pignon experienced only a mild shaking and suffered neither loss of life nor damage to property from the quake.  Why was there such destruction in the southern part of the country and not in the north?

Haiti sits on a fault line between two large tectonic plates that comprise the Earth’s crust.  This particular fault line between the North American and Caribbean plates runs roughly west-east directly through the Tiburon peninsula (and almost directly through Port au Prince, which is still recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake).  Because of physical distance, the central region of Haiti where Pignon is located is largely unaffected by quakes that occur along this fault.

Loving Haiti is helping to meet the needs of those in southwestern Haiti who are suffering from the effects of both the quake and the storm through our Disaster and Relief Fund.  Because of Pastor Francois’ relationship with other pastors in the country, he can identify specific areas of need from those he knows and trusts on the ground, in the southwest.  Please consider donating to this fund as a conduit for relief into the region.

Amid all the difficult news, we at Loving Haiti are focusing on what is good.  The school year is about to start at Phila Academie des Petits in Pignon.  We are hopeful that this year will be a return to normalcy for the children, without Covid interruption or alteration.  We are hopeful that the school will provide a comforting routine for the children, even as the nation struggles with on-going health, economic and political crises.  Please consider donating to our Education Fund and building the next generation of Haiti’s leaders.

 

Thank you! Mèsi!