A massive magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Haiti early Saturday morning, leaving buildings crumbled, hospitals overcrowded and people rushing in fear from their homes into the streets. The quake left at least 300 people confirmed dead and 1,800 injured so far. The earthquake came as tropical Tropical Storm Grace raced toward the island, potentially complicating rescue efforts. The storm is expected to arrive late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Centre. The death toll stood at 304, according to Jerry Chandler, Haiti’s director of civil protection.

Teams will be sent to the area for search and rescue missions, Chandler told the Associated Press. Makenson Pierre, 32, found one person dead near the rubble on the main street of Jérémie, his hometown. Jérémie, a coastal city in southwestern Haiti, is about 80 miles from Saint-Louis du Sud, which is located close to the epicenter of the quake. Pierre quickly recognized the man as his childhood friend. "He was a great guy," Pierre told. "We grew up together. It was painful to watch." The man was only in his late 20s. 

"He was too young," Pierre said. Pierre described an "overwhelmed, understaffed" hospital that had set up a tent outside to increase capacity and was handing out gloves to anyone who was willing to help. He said he saw about 15 people being treated for injuries outside. The quake has sparked comparisons to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti that killed an estimated 300,000 people. "High casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," the U.S. Geological Survey said of Saturday's quake. "Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response."

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