Earthquake of 5.9 magnitude in Haiti destroys homes, injures people on Saturday

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake destroyed homes and damaged a church and at least one hospital in Haiti, where officials reported people were injured but had not confirmed local media reports of deaths.

The US Geologic Survey said the quake that hit at 8:11 pm Saturday (001 GMT) was centred 12 miles (19 kilometres) northwest of Port-de-Paix on Haiti's north coast.

It was 7.3 miles (11.7 kilometres) below the surface.

The country's civil protection agency issued a statement saying several people were injured and some houses destroyed in Port-de-Paix, Gros Morne, Chansolme and Turtle Island.

Among the structures damaged was the Saint-Michel church in Plaisance.

Other rescue workers reported the collapse of part of a hospital and an auditorium as the quake hit on a rainy evening.

The quake was felt lightly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as in the neighbouring Dominican Republic.

Impoverished Haiti, where many live in tenuous circumstances, is especially vulnerable to earthquakes.

A vastly larger magnitude 7.1 quake damaged much of the capital in 2010 and killed an estimated 300,000 people.

(With inputs from agencies.)