Transcript for Jan. 12, 2010: A deadly 7.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti

It is hard to imagine a country less able to cope with a devastating earthquake this seven point oh quake hit this afternoon about ten miles west of Haiti's capital city. According to an Associated Press photographer on the ground at least one hospital has collapsed and people are screaming for help. It is at target catastrophe it is to Ruble. The axes to vote principle it's impossible by call so old she beaten body. When the earthquake hit at 4:53 PM yesterday it was just before dark on this island nation. With electricity out in most of the city's search and rescue has been nearly impossible. The magnitude was just demands a lot of search and rescue and need to be done by hand. Yeah. At the United Nations headquarters a glimmer of good news all. But scores of people are still missing in more than a dozen UN workers are dead first responders and any kind of been practically nonexistent here. And the government itself with decimated by the year where the Presidential Palace which once looked like this. Is now destroyed along with the parliament. And the penitentiary. Roads are simply impossible. Eating meat at buildings are protected by its very high walls that often made of brick or what cement or were stones. And speed being at this half of them weren't working totals rebels. The archbishop of Haiti was one of the thousands lost he was killed in his office. The combination of factors made this earthquake so devastating first it was large seven point oh. Andy was shallow dish six miles deep which made the shaking worse. Finally it hit an area with high concentrations of people in poorly constructed homes. Porter presses and their mountainous. CD and now a lot of the folks at its shelter in the heart of the townspeople had just. Together. The ability and interest heading up the mountains have been defined it for Graham.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.