Despite efforts of the rescue mission, the death toll from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that rocked Haiti on Saturday has risen to 1,297.
The new figure was confirmed on Sunday evening at a briefing by the ministry of communications in Haiti.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, but there are concerns that health facilities may be overwhelmed as a result of the number of injured persons seeking medical attention.
Prime minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry who commended the efforts of persons assisting with rescue efforts including volunteer health workers appealed for assistance.
“We need humanitarian, health and logistical assistance to shelter the victims. People are in a really difficult situation. We must act quickly,” he said.
Security agencies, including the Haitian armed forces, have been deployed to affected areas to clear the access roads in order to ensure smooth transport of victims to health facilities.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake erupted five miles from the town of Petit Trou de Nippes in the western part of the country, about 80 miles west of Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital.
The Saturday earthquake is the first major incident of its kind in over 10 years.
In 2010, an earthquake in the Caribbean country led to the death of at least 200,000 people.