The extreme poverty of the majority of its population, the persistent political crisis and the hopelessness of the Haitian people has now been compounded by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.  It happened on Saturday, Aug. 14, and has so far accounted for more than 1,300 deaths and almost 6,000 injured.

It quickly returned to the moments of the 2010 earthquake, when at 4:53 p.m. on Jan. 12 of that year much of Port-au-Prince, the capital, was left in ruins. More than 316,000 people died and 350,000 were injured.

The affected areas left a million and a half victims. More than 11 years later, the picture is nothing different.

The poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere is at the mercy of international humanitarian aid from different fronts. This time, support has even come from countries like Colombia to search for victims under the rubble.

Meanwhile, the infrastructure suffered serious damage to roads and bridges. To this is added the passage of tropical storm Grace, which degraded into a tropical depression for the next few hours. However, the rains could affect the search and rescue of victims.

“We want to give a more adequate response than after 2010’s  earthquake. All aid that comes from abroad must be coordinated by the Civil Protection Directorate, ”said Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who took office on July 20, two weeks after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse at the hands of a command of mercenaries.

Henry declared a state of emergency and called for national unity amid the dire situation.

"Let's forget about our disputes, let's forget about everything else, let's help the poorest and most needy," he said while attending a press conference.

On Sunday night, 3,000 homes were estimated to have been destroyed by the earthquake, while fear and uncertainty remain among the inhabitants due to the aftershocks.