PORT-AU-PRINCE – Two new aftershocks rattled Haiti Tuesday exactly two weeks after a massive quake left 150,000 dead, US officials and witnesses said.
The US Geological Survey said a 4.4-magnitude tremor shook the Caribbean nation early Tuesday at 6:16 a.m. (1116 GMT), while AFP journalists and Haiti residents were woken up an hour earlier by an aftershock about 5:00 a.m.
Felix Lundi, one of thousands living in a makeshift camp, told AFP that towards 5:00 a.m. "I got up and went into the street. It was not very strong, but I'm still afraid of another big quake."
Trader Edison Constant, said he felt the aftershock at 6:15 a.m. at his home in the Delmas district. "I left my house to find some shelter," he said.
"We just can't get used to these quakes. Each aftershock is terrifying and everyone is afraid."
In the Petionville district, iron merchant Julien Louis said he had felt the aftershocks. "I hid under my bed," he told AFP.
More than 50 aftershocks have rocked Haiti since the January 12 7.0-magnitude quake, and each one brings new terror to the devastated people with a million left homeless. The largest aftershock so far has measured 5.9.
According to the USGS, the risk of strong aftershocks remains high for Haiti during the next 30 days, with a 25 percent chance of one or more measuring more than 6.0 on the Moment Magnitude Scale.
Source: Reuters
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