At least 29 people have died following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Haiti. The death toll is a provisional figure and will likely rise, as buildings in several towns were leveled.
Haitian civil protection official Jerry Chandler announced the death toll in a press conference on Saturday, hours after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook the island nation’s southern peninsula.
“There are deaths I confirm but I do not yet have the precise balance sheet,” Chandler told reporters.
READ MORE: Buildings damaged & collapsed after Haiti hit with ‘major’ 7.2 quake
The death toll will likely rise as search and rescue efforts continue. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a red alert for estimated casualties, stating that “high casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread.”
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