By Claudia Dominguez and Holly Yan, CNN

Earthquake rocks northern Haiti

(CNN)Once again, nature has dealt a deadly blow to Haiti.

At least 12 people were killed and 188 were wounded after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck northern Haiti on Saturday night, the country’s interior ministry said Sunday.

On Sunday, President Jovenel Moïse visited the coastal city of Port-de-Paix, just 11 miles (18 kilometers) from the quake’s epicenter.

“I will make sure the proper state systems are fully mobilized to help the victims,” Moïse tweeted.
Je suis sur place, dans les zones touchées par le séisme, afin d’apporter de l’aide à la population. Le PM est également sur les lieux pour superviser les équipes de secours et coordonner leurs actions. Je félicite cet élan de solidarité et de soutien de la part des citoyens. pic.twitter.com/KCjG6FLdBc

— Président Jovenel Moïse (@moisejovenel) October 7, 2018

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is still recovering from the catastrophic 2010 earthquake that killed at least 220,000 people and destroyed much of the capital city.

In 2016, Hurricane Matthew shredded parts of the country and left at least 336 people dead.
Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant said a crisis team has been created to coordinate all emergency responses to Saturday night’s earthquake.

“Damage has been recorded mainly in the Far North. All my sympathies to the victims,” Céant tweeted.
“The executive at the highest level is mobilized to provide appropriate answers. I call on the population to be cautious and calm.”

CNN’s Daniel Silva Fernandez contributed to this report.

For more on this story go to: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/07/americas/haiti-earthquake/index.html