Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced concern for the people of Haiti as well as the United Nations staff there after a major earthquake struck off the coast of the impoverished Caribbean nation.

“My heart goes out to the people of Haiti after this devastating earthquake,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday night. “I am receiving initial reports and following developments closely.”

The 7.0-magnitude quake reportedly hit south-west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, late this afternoon.