Saturday, a moderate earthquake, 4.5 on the Richter scale with its epicenter located in Montecristi (19.787°N 71.477°W) 12.2 km depth (5km northwest of Villa Vasquez) in Dominican Republic, was felt at 10:25 am in the North / Northeast of Haiti, in particular in Ouanamithe, Fort-Liberté, Cap-Haïtien (77km from the epicenter) and in Dajabón, Montecristi, Villa Vasquez, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde (Mao) and other cities in the northern region of the neighboring country.

In Ouanaminthe, the tremor caused a moment of confusion and panic, frightened residents fleeing from their homes, still having in mind the terrible earthquake of January 12, 2010, which devastated part of Port-au-Prince and other cities in Haiti.

Note that an earthquake of 4.5 on the Richter scale (average 6,000 per year worldwide) causes visible effect on objects inside houses, windows, doors and plates shaking, vibration is felt by people, but the damage usually remain very light.

The Haitian Ministry of Defense, reminds that Haiti is a country with seismic risk, located on the border of two large tectonic plates. It stresses that from time to time, small tremors may occur and that despite its advanced, science is not yet able to accurately determine the date of an earthquake. Specifying that only preventive measures can be effective in such circumstances.

HL/ HaitiLibre