Magnitude 5.9 quake strikes Haiti

Magnitude 5.9 quake strikes Haiti
Photo credit: File

Eleven people have died after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti.

The deadly quake hit in the northern region of the country, and left more than 100 people injured and receiving treatment in hospital.

Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant said a crisis cabinet had been formed to coordinate an emergency response.

He expressed his sympathies to families of victims and urged residents to remain "cautious and calm".

Two aftershocks were felt, also confined to the northern region, with no tsunami warning in place.

The impoverished island nation, where many people live in tenuous circumstances, is especially vulnerable to earthquakes.

In 2010, a devastating 7.1 quake struck the nation, killing up to 300,000 people.

Newshub.