'I hope they hear us praying': More than 700 dead in Haiti earthquake as global support pours in
Early Saturday morning, Judeline Louis, a Port-au-Prince native, received a frantic call from her daughter, who lives in Haiti.
"'Mom, there was an earthquake. Mom, the houses are crumbling again,'" Louis recalled her daughter telling her over the phone.
The call came minutes after news spread that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck a small town in Western Haiti, Louis said. The death toll from the quake continues to skyrocket, more than doubling Sunday. Haiti's civil protection agency said at least 724 were dead and at least2,800 injured.
Louis moved to New York City five years after experiencing the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010. After that "nightmare," she said, she had hoped her family would never experience an earthquake again.
Louis said she couldn't reach her daughter again after that first harrowing phone call Saturday morning.
7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti: 'Losses will be high'
"I just want to hear her voice again. I'm sad for my country. ... I can't believe another earthquake is devastating us again," Louis told USA TODAY.
Haitians were already contending with the assassination of their president, Jovenel Moïse, last month, as well as instability due to gang violence and surges in coronavirus infections. Plus, the country still had not fully recovered from the 2010 quake. And Tropical Storm Grace is headed for the island this week, after Tropical Storm Fred knocked out power to 400,000 Haitian homes and businesses.
Haiti's new prime minister, Ariel Henry, said on Twitter the government will declare a state of emergency and act quickly to reach those affected by the earthquake.
Political leaders, volunteers and residents from across the globe have raised support and offered help for Haiti. In Jamaica, where reports said the earthquake was felt, Prime Minister Andrew Holness offered prayers to those affected.
Vice President Kamala Harris said the U.S. is working "swiftly" to assess and provide recovery relief to Haiti.
"Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break," tweeted Naomi Osaka, whose father is Haitian. "I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestors blood is strong we’ll keep rising."
Photos taken by Jose Flécher have been shared on social media, showing debris and destroyed buildings in local towns.
President Joe Biden called the earthquake "devastating" and offered condolences.
"I have authorized an immediate US response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power as the senior US official to coordinate this effort," Biden said in a statement.
"Through USAID, we are supporting efforts to assess the damage and assist efforts to recover those who were injured and those who must now rebuild. The United States remains a close and enduring friend to the people of Haiti, and we will be there in the aftermath of this tragedy."
U.S. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., pledged her support to work with the Haiti Caucus co-chairs to help the country recovery.
António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, said the UN is working to provide relief to the country and offered his condolences to Haitians.
Luis Abinader, president of the Dominican Republic, the country adjacent to Haiti, said the government offered assistance to Henry.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., emphasized current political tensions in Haiti, as well as the ongoing pandemic.
"At a time when Haiti is without an organized government and suffering greatly from COVID-19, the damage is unspeakable. We must do everything we can to get humanitarian support to Haiti now," Waters tweeted.
Support also came in from outside the political spectrum. José Andrés, founder World Central Kitchen, an organization that supplies meals to countries in need, tweeted the organization is ready to assist Haiti
Meanwhile, Louis said she hopes the people of Haiti feel the worldwide support.
"I hope they hear us praying. I hope all of Haiti can feel our prayers from around the world," Louis said.
Contributing: Cady Stanton, Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY; The Associated Press.
Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Earthquake in Haiti 2021: Support pours in after hundreds dead
