Earthquake Update 8/17/2021

Excerpts from Reciprocal Ministries International’s Facebook Page:

The destruction is widespread on the entire southern peninsula. No community was spared clear out to the farthest tip of the island. There are many landslides across the road that leads into the mountains to go to the other coast as well as the main road that leads west to that area of Haiti. Bridges are damaged and many are impassable. In Cayes and Jeremie most, if not all, stores and businesses have been heavily damaged or destroyed. In general, the infrastructure that southern Haiti had is badly damaged and severely crippled.

Benjamin observed that “It was the grace of God that it happened at the right time…people were up and out of their houses, schools were not in session and churches were not meeting”. And it is true, had it happened at another time or day, schools and churches would have been full and the death toll would have been drastically higher. In the midst of the indescribable destruction, something to be thankful for.

There have been regular, strong aftershocks. As you can imagine, the people are traumatized and nerves are frayed. They are afraid to go inside concrete structures. They are sleeping in their yards or out in open areas.  Tropical storm Grace is right over the entire peninsula now, creating more heartache. Where are they to go in the rain? Mudslides will be a very real possibility, especially in areas where the earth is already softened by the earthquake. Getting supplies from Port-au-prince has been severely impeded by gangs that control areas of the town and road that leads south. NGOs and government officials have negotiated a one-week truce with them to let supplies, containers, and personnel through. Pray as a convoy of containers and other vehicles will be going through that area in the coming days. RMI has 3 containers of food that will be a part of that convoy. It is needed now more than ever!