An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck Haiti and the Dominican Republic, causing a hospital to collapse and people to cry for help in the streets. It was one of the most powerful earthquakes in the Caribbean, resulting in many deaths and families losing their lives. The document discusses sending aid like food, clothes, and supplies to help the families affected by the disaster. Earthquakes of similar magnitude have occurred before, such as the 1985 Mexico City earthquake that was also very dangerous and caused significant damage and loss of life in central, southern, and western Mexico.