Leogane, Haiti

November 4, 2013 8:12 PM

240 years after its destruction by a massive earthquake, the town Léogâne, perched on the seaside in Haiti's Ouest Department, suffered a similar fate at the hands of another, the 2010 earthquake that left its footprint all over Haiti, but, probably most distinctly, on the little town by the sea. While it certainly wasn't the only place affected by the behemoth quake, it suffered catastrophic damage estimated to be somewhere between 80% and 90% to the buildings in the small town, due its being at the epicenter of the massive quake.

When the earth stopped shaking on that January morning, none of the government buildings in the town were still standing, and the damage to all other property was so extensive, the U.N. declared it the worst hit area of three towns near Haiti's capital. Subsequently, a telecommunications company's building was enlisted to house an impromptu city hall, through which disaster response could be meted out to those in need, including the decimation of information about those places reported affected and the scope of the damage.

The city was further stripped of sentimental places, like the Sainte Rose de Lima Church and its school, the strip, Grand Rue, where most of their commerce took place and the Saint Croix Hospital, during the seism. Adding to the despair was the loss of between 20,000 to 30,000 lives.

The 2010 earthquake makes twice now the Léogâne Arrondissement has been hit by a quake of magnitude 7 or higher in less than 3 centuries.

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Leogane, Haiti

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