Leogane, The 2010 Earthquake's Epicenter

One town that felt the full blow of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti is Leogane, which is located in Ouest Department. This seaside town was the epicenter of the devastating 7-magnitude earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people. Between 20,000 and 30,000 people were reported dead in the town when the tremor rattled it on January 12, 2010.

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The number of casualties is not the only mark of devastation that the disaster left in Leogane. A United Nations assessment also found out that up to 90% of buildings in the town were damaged, making it the worst affected area. The damage it received from the disaster was greater than that in the capital of Port-au-Prince. The Sainte Rose de Lima School, which is considered the heart of the city, was destroyed. As well as other important buildings such as the Saint Croix Hospital and the commercial strip the Grand Rue.

Another problem that Leogane faced during the calamity was the delayed arrival of relief aid. Several organizations tried to lend a helping hand to those in need but it took a little while for them to reach Leogane. It was five days later before British search and rescue teams arrived in the town to provide aid. They were the first ones to reach Leogane, followed by other relief organizations. There was no airport in town, forcing relief aid teams to use a makeshift landing strip for their small helicopters.

Until now, Leogane, like the rest of the country, is still recovering from the quake's impact that changed everyone's life.

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