ON August 13, a massive 7.2 earthquake turned the nation of Haiti upside down, as it claimed the lives of nearly 2,000.

The following day a 5.8 magnitude 'quake again shook the Caribbean country as they were reeling from the devastation 24 hours before.

Was there another earthquake in Haiti?

On Wednesday, August 18, a staggered Haiti was once again hit by another earthquake, this time a 4.8 magnitude.

The aftershock was reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) just before mid-day on August 18.

The 4.8-magnitude quake was described as moderate, and it was not immediately clear if the strong aftershock caused any further damage.

It's also unclear if it had caused further injuries.

However, the aftershocks' strength has begun to shift, leaving experts concerned that the death toll could increase.

There have been 500 aftershocks reported so far, and some believe they could be as strong as magnitude six.

“I’m very concerned that people are going to be driven into structures because of the storm,” Nicholas van der Elst, a seismologist with the USGS who forecasts aftershocks, told Popular Science.

“So there’s going to be more vulnerability as people reoccupy damaged structures during aftershocks.”

He also warned that smaller aftershocks could continue for as long as a year.

How many people have died from the August 13 earthquake?

As of August 17, the death toll of the 7.2 tremor in Haiti hit 1,941 – as the hunt for survivors in the wreckage continues.

Images posted to social media showed significant damage to buildings, including collapsed homes and rubble splayed across the road.

Quake damage to several major hospitals hampered humanitarian efforts, and doctors in makeshift tents outside battled to save the lives of the many injured, including young children and the elderly.

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck about five miles from the town of Petit Trou de Nippes, about 93 miles west of the capital Port-au-Prince, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

USGS estimated “thousands of fatalities” are likely, as well as "tens of thousands of injuries in poor mountainous communities."

“High casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” a statement from the agency released around an hour after the quake said.

"Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response."

How many people died in Haiti's 2010 'quake?

On January 12, 2010, the poorest country in the Americas was hit by 7-magnitude 'quake.

It is estimated that the tremor killed over an estimated 100,00 to 160,000 people; however, Haiti's government figures claim 220,000 to 316,000 perished.

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