A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the northwest coast of Haiti late Saturday, killing at least 12 people, injuring more than 130 others and damaging homes in the poverty-stricken Caribbean nation, authorities said. The epicenter of the quake was located about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northwest of the city of Port-de-Paix, the US Geological Survey reported.
President Jovenel Moise said he and Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant had reached "the zone affected by the earthquake to bring assistance to the population" and coordinate relief efforts. He had said earlier he was headed to Port-de-Paix and another quake-hit city, Gros-Morne, about 50 kilometers to the southeast.
"I congratulate the citizens for their show of solidarity and support," Moise said in a Twitter message, vowing to ensure that the government was doing everything possible to help victims. The quake, which was felt across the country, struck at 8:10 pm (0010 GMT Sunday) at a shallow depth of 11.7 kilometers.
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