Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec leaders offer condolences and help for Haitians after earthquake

'It's absolute pandemonium and chaos' Executive Director of Global Medic Rahul Singh discusses how landslides and gang violence have hindered the arrival of aid to Haiti.

MONTREAL — A deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti has sparked widespread reaction in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said all those affected "are in the thoughts of Canadians."

"Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones, and those who have been injured - and we’re standing ready to provide assistance in any way we can," the Canadian prime minister wrote.

His Quebec counterpart Premier François Legault also turned to Twitter to express his solidarity with the Haitian people.

"My thoughts are with the Haitian people who again suffered such a tragedy. Quebec is with you. My condolences to the relatives of the victims," said Legault.

Earlier, Quebec Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade, who lost both her parents in the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, expressed her sorrow.

"The horror hits. My heart goes out to the Haitians in the south of the country,'' Anglade wrote.

A little later, upon her arrival at the PLQ Youth Congress in Trois-Rivières, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly again expressed her concerns for the Haitians during a press scrum.

"My thoughts are with all the people over there who are going through extremely difficult times and with the entire Haitian community in Quebec," said Anglade.

In the afternoon, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet also shared his sorrow on social media.

"May our thoughts and our solidarity support the courage of this great and tried people," he wrote.

TRAVEL ADVISORY

The Canadian government issued a travel advisory to Canadians on Saturday morning.

There are reports of infrastructure damage. A tsunami warning is in effect for some coastlines in Canada.

"Aftershocks may occur and essential services may be disrupted," the statement said.

If you are in an affected area, follow the instructions of local authorities and check local media regularly for updates.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 14, 2021.