PORT-AU-PRINCE, August 14, 2021, SPA -- A major earthquake killed at least 29 people in southwestern Haiti on Saturday, reducing churches, hotels and homes to rubble in the latest tragedy. The 7.2-magnitude quake, which was followed by a series of aftershocks, struck 8 km (5 miles) 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 USGS said. The earthquake - which occurred around 8:30 a.m. local time - hit farther away from the capital, however. In Port-au-Prince, it was strongly felt but did not appear to have caused major damage, according to Reuters witnesses. The nearest big town was Les Cayes, with a population of around 126,000, where many buildings collapsed or suffered major damage, according to authorities, who said they were searching for survivors in the rubble. "We've counted a total of 29 fatalities to date and an important number of injured," Civil Protection Director Jerry Chandler told a news conference. Prime Minister Ariel Henry declared a month-long state of emergency. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami warning after the quake, lifting it shortly thereafter. --SPA 22:01 LOCAL TIME 19:01 GMT 0033 www.spa.gov.sa/w1600653