Haiti on 'red alert' for possible fatalities after 7.2 magnitude quake

Haitian flag.
(Image credit: HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

After a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, the United States Tsunami Warning System said the threat of hazardous waves has passed, but the U.S. Geological Survey has cautioned that casualties may be high. The quake could reportedly be felt throughout the Caribbean region.

It's not entirely clear what the situation on the ground in Haiti is right now, but the U.S.G.S has put out a "red alert for shaking-related" fatalities, warning damage to structures is likely "widespread."

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.