Les Cayes, 15 August, 2021 / 10:20 am (ACI Africa).
Cardinal Chibly Langlois, Bishop of Les Cayes and president of Haiti’s Bishops’ Conference, has been injured, while a Catholic priest died early in the morning of Aug. 14 after an 7.2 intensity earthquake shook Haiti.
Speaking to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish language news agency, Akim Rikonda, Director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Haiti, said that Cardinal Langlois "is hurt, but his life is not in danger." Langlois, 62, was created the first Haitian cardinal by Pope Francis Feb. 22, 2014.
"CRS has spoken with the priestly residence in Les Cayes and we have reports that the house has been severely damaged. Unfortunately, we were informed of three fatalities, one priest and two employees," Rikonda said.
Rikonda also reported to ACI Prensa that “all of CRS personnel are safe and sound, but unfortunately one of our employees’ wife died and his baby is gravely injured."
The earthquake happened at 8:30 a.m. local time, affecting all the country, but especially the region of Les Cayes, in the southwestern region of Haiti.