Destruction after a  7.2 magnitude earthquake in southwestern Haiti on August 14, 2021. (Photo: UPI/VNA)

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 1,297 people and injuring 2,800 others, head of Haiti's civil protection agency Jerry Chandler said on Sunday.

The Haitian government has declared a state of emergency for a month to conduct search and rescue operations.