Magnitude 7 earthquake reported in western Haiti

A major earthquake struck western Haiti on Saturday and was felt across the Caribbean, where people fled their homes for fear that buildings might collapse.

The magnitude 7 earthquake struck eight kilometres from the town of Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, about 150 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince, at a depth of 10 km, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The country is still recovering from a magnitude 7 earthquake closer to the capital 11 years ago that killed tens if not hundreds of thousands of people and flattened swaths of buildings, leaving many homeless.

Naomi Verneus, a 34-year-old resident of Port-au-Prince, said she was jolted awake by the earthquake and that her bed was shaking.

"I woke up and didn't have time to put my shoes on. We lived the 2010 earthquake and all I could do was run. I later remembered my two kids and my mother were still inside. My neighbour went in and told them to get out. We ran to the street," Verneus said, according to The Associated Press.

The tremors also caused fear west of Haiti, in Cuba.

"Everyone is really afraid. It's been years since such a big earthquake," said Daniel Ross, a resident in the eastern Cuban city of Guantanamo, adding that his home stood firm but the furniture shook.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said there was no tsunami warning after the quake.

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