A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on Tuesday, and according to CNN.com, while there was no clear estimate of the dead and wounded, the U.S. State Department had been told to expect a “profound loss of life”.

The faithful prayed late into the evening — for relief, for mercy, for safety — as at least 28 aftershocks of magnitude of 4.0 or greater rumbled across the country. The quake was centered about 6 miles (10 kilometers) underground, a depth that can produce severe shaking, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The disaster is the latest to befall the Caribbean country, roughly the size of Maryland, which is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere and among the poorest in the world.

Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Buildings shook in the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo, but no major damage was reported there, according to The New York Times. Reports of a possible tsunami in the region were shuttered yesterday evening.

For up-to-date news reports, follow @CNN and @BreakingNews.

HOW YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW:

• Text “YELE” to 501 501 to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean‘s non-profit organization, Yele Haiti (www.yele.org).
• Make a secure, tax-deductible donation to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, supporting UNICEF‘s emergency response in Haiti.
• You can text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.

UPDATE – Wyclef has today released an official statement:

“Haiti yesterday faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake – and several very strong aftershocks – struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince .

I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.

President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.”

Many people have already reached out to see what they can do right now. We are asking those interested to please do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill), or you can visit www.Yele.org and click on DONATE.

Bookmark to: