January 12 in History
2010 - A magnitude-7.0 earthquake devastates Haiti, especially Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people
Measuring at a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC), killing an estimated 100,000 to 316,000 people, though the latter figures are a matter of dispute. An estimated three million people were affected, with the government of Haiti estimating that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.
The earthquake caused major damage in Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and other cities in the region. Notable landmark buildings were significantly damaged or destroyed, including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and the main jail. Among those killed were Archbishop of Port-au-Prince Joseph Serge Miot,and opposition leader Micha Gaillard. The headquarters of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), located in the capital, collapsed, killing many, including the Mission’s Chief, Hédi Annabi. Port-au-Prince’s morgues were overwhelmed with tens of thousands of bodies. These had to be buried in mass graves. By January 24, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded.
Many countries responded to appeals for humanitarian aid, pledging funds and dispatching rescue and medical teams, engineers and support personnel.
-Wikipedia
Image – The Haitian National Palace (Presidential Palace), located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, heavily damaged after the earthquake. Note: this was originally a two-story structure; the second story completely collapsed – Flicker