The 4.9-magnitude quake struck in the early hours of the morning and came in the wake of torrential rains that have displaced more than 13,000 people.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry said his government and international partners were taking "urgent measures" to deal with the flooding, and the World Food Programme, an agency of the United Nations, said it would start providing hot meals to the displaced.

Haitian authorities said the three people who died were crushed when their home collapsed, and more than a dozen people have also been injured.

Jérémie is a coastal city in the southwestern Grand'Anse department, and the main road linking Jérémie with the capital Port-au-Prince is passing through the city of Léogâne, where three rivers burst their banks in recent days.

Rescue operations are also being hampered by Haiti's ongoing problem with criminal gangs, which control many areas.