Haiti quake catastrophe – Update Jan 13

Port-au-Prince Quake May Be the Last Straw for the Disaster-Stricken Haiti

FEWW Forecast: Another Major Earthquake Could Strike the Region Soon with a Probability of 60% [P ≥ 0.55]

FEWW Comment: The timing of this event may have been particularly “lucky” for the survivors of Haiti earthquake.

First, the event occurred at 04:53:09 pm local time when large numbers of people would have been outdoors.

Second, the earthquake occurred on land. An offshore quake could have generated a major tsunami that would have worsened the extent of the catastrophe.

FEWW Initial  Estimate of EQ casualties

However, the moderators believe up to 20,000 people may have been killed or injured as a result of the Haitian catastrophe caused by the earthquake and its aftershocks.

See also main entry for FEWW earthquake forecast:  Haiti Quake Causes Widespread Death, Destruction

• For images and video reports click Haiti Quake Images

Highlights of reports and eye-witness accounts as the full extent of the Haiti quake catastrophe unfolds:

• The full scale of the catastrophe has yet to emerge.

• The poorest country in the western hemisphere, Haiti hadn’t even remotely recovered from the destructive hurricanes in 2008.

• About 80 percent of Haiti’s 10 million population live on the equivalent of less than $2 a day.  The capital Port-au-Prince is home to about 2 million people [officially 1.2 million population,]  many of whom live in densely populated shanty towns, locally referred to as bidonvilles.

• Haiti was devastated by four storms two years ago, which left up to a thousand people dead,  destroyed some 15 percent of the national economy, and cost the nation about $1 billion in damage.

• Haiti’s Presidential Palace has collapsed.

Presidential Palace. Top: Before the quake. Bottom: After. Credit: AP and AFP. Images may be subject to copyright.

The Headquarters of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), a five-story  building, has collapsed

• Many UN staff are missing following yesterday’s quake quake.

• Eight Chinese peacekeepers were killed in the earthquake and that 10 others are missing, the China Daily newspaper reported.

• “The United Nations can confirm that the Headquarters of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in Port-au-Prince has sustained serious damage along with other UN installations,” the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations said. “For the moment, a large number of personnel remain unaccounted for.”

• Many buildings have collapsed or seriously damaged throughout the capital, Port-au-Prince. AP reported that a hospital had collapsed.

• The mainshock struck about 370 km ESE of a M8.0 quake which struck about 65 km off the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic in 1946. The large earthquake was followed by a major M7.6 aftershock.

• Port-au-Prince was reportedly shrouded in a blanket of dust for about 20 minutes after the earthquake struck.

• Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic occupy the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago.

• The most powerful earthquake to strike Haiti part of Hispaniola island occurred 200 years ago. About a dozen or so powerful earthquakes have struck Haiti side of the Hispaniola in the past 5 centuries.

• The earthquake was also felt on the Dominican side of Hispaniola island, where residents reportedly fled from shaking buildings.

• According to reports up to quarter of all buildings in Jacmel, another Haitian city [population 50,000,] have been  destroyed. More than 10 percent of the residents had moved to Jacmel airport seeking shelter.

• The catastrophe will affect most of Haiti’s estimated 10 million population.

• As of posting, 34 aftershocks measuring magnitude 4.5 or greater have been reported by USGS/EHP.

Related Links:

• Haiti Quake Causes Widespread Death, Destruction
• Haiti Quake Images

Please help the victims, if you can. There are many ways to help the surviving victims. But donate money only to the organizations that you know and trust.

• Red Cross downgraded over 9-11 victims funds: Money mismanaged…
• Red Cross caught red-handed
• The Red Cross Coming Home to Roost: Remember 9/11, Anyone?

For More Information Visit Haiti Earthquake Disaster Links Page!

Haiti Quake Images

Main Report:

• Haiti Quake Causes Widespread Death, Destruction

FEWW Comment: The timing of this event may have been particularly “lucky” for the survivors of Haiti earthquake.

First, the event occurred at 04:53:09 PM local time when large numbers of people would have been out and about.

Second, the earthquake occurred on land. An offshore quake could have generated a major tsunami that would have worsened the extent of the catastrophe.

FEWW Initial  Estimate of EQ casualties

However, the moderators believe up to 20,000 people may have been killed or injured as a result of the Haitian catastrophe caused by the earthquake and its aftershocks.

See also main entry for FEWW earthquake forecast:  Haiti Quake Causes Widespread Death, Destruction

Sad Images of Haiti Earthquake Aftermath

People running past rubble of a collapsing building in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo Credit: AP. Image may be subject to copyright.

Rescue workers carrying an injured person. Credit: AP. Image may be subject to copyright.

A quake victim lies dead or severly injured. Credit: Reuters. Image may be subject to copyright.

Haiti Quake: Eyewitness Account

Haitians react to televangelist Pat Robertson’s ‘devil pact’ remarks

• Reuters Haiti Quake Image Gallery
• Reuters, AP and AFP images
• More Photos from Port-au-Prince – RG2
• Reuters Gallery 3
• Reuters gallery 4
  

For More Information Visit Haiti Earthquake Disaster Links Page!

Haiti Quake Causes Widespread Death, Destruction

M7.3 EQ Causes Widespread Damage in Haiti

Powerful quake measuring up to 7.3 Mw strikes SW of PORT-AU-PRINCE, many feared dead

FEWW Forecast: Another Major Earthquake Could Strike the Region Soon with a Probability of 60% [P ≥ 0.55]

The quake struck about 15 km (10 miles) SW of PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti at an approximate  depth of 10 km on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 21:53 UTC, USGS/EHP reported.

The mainshock, as of posting, was followed by at least 3 significant aftershocks the largest of which measured up to 6.2 Mw.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere with abysmal civic and urban infrastructure. The aftermath of this quake could well prove to be catastrophic, with thousands of people killed or injured.

PORT-AU-PRINCE has an estimated population of about 1.2 million.

Estimated Population Exposed to Earthquake Shaking:

• Up to 240,000 people live in the “extreme” and  “violent” zones of the quake epicenter exposed to the earthquake shaking and most severe destruction.
• A total of 1.2 million people live within the “severe” zone of the earthquake damage.

Click Image for USGS PDF file.

Earthquake Location map. Source: USGS/EHP. Enhanced by FEWW. (Click Images to enlarge).

Earthquake Details

• Magnitude:  [FEWW Estimate: 7.3Mw – USGS/EHP routinely downgrades earthquakes by about 0.3 Mw]
• Date-Time:
  • Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 21:53:09 UTC
  • Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 04:53:09 PM at epicenter
• Location: 18.451°N, 72.445°W
• Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles)
• Region HAITI REGION
• Distances
  • 15 km (10 miles) SW of PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti
  • 140 km (90 miles) E of Les Cayes, Haiti
  • 145 km (90 miles) WNW of Barahona, Dominican Republic
  • 1140 km (710 miles) SE of Miami, Florida
• Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 8.3 km (5.2 miles)
• Source:  USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
• USGS/EHP Event ID: us2010rja6

Seismic Hazard Map. Click image to enlarge. USGS/EHP

Political Map of Haiti. USGS/EHP
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Earthquake Location. Haiti Region. USGS/EHP

Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green. USGS/EHP

Historic Seismicity

Shakemap. Click image to enlarge.

Credit: All images on this page are sourced from USGS/EHP

Tsunami Evaluation

NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI 23:45 UTC TUE JAN 12 2010

A tsunami measuring 12 cm crest-to-trough was recorded at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and a tsunami less than 1 cm  crest-to-trough was recorded on a deep ocean gauge in the east-central Caribbean.  Based on these data there could have been destructive tsunami waves near the earthquake epicenter but there is not a threat to coastal areas further away.Therefore the tsunami watch issued by this center is now canceled.

For any affected areas – when no major waves have occurred for at least two hours after the estimated arrival time or damaging waves  have not occurred for at least two hours then local authorities  can assume the threat is passed. Danger to boats and coastal structures can continue for several hours due to rapid currents. As local conditions can cause a wide variation in tsunami wave action the all clear determination must be made by local authorities.

This will be the final product issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for this event unless additional information becomes available.

Historic Earthquakes in the Region

• Samana, Dominican Republic,  August 04,  1946 at 17:51 UTC, Magnitude 8.0
• Aftershock,  August 08, 1946 at  13:28 UTC, Magnitude 7.6

The mainshock struck about 370 km ESE of a M8.0 quake which struck about 65 km off the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic in 1946. The large earthquake was followed by a major M7.6 aftershock.

The mainshock occurred about 65 km off the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, causing severe damage in northern Dominican Republic from Samana to Santiago and Puerto Plata. The quake left about 100 people dead and more than 20,000 people homeless.

“Almost all the people killed were drowned by a tsunami at Matanzas, near Nagua (Julia Molina). Although the waves were only about 2.5 m (8 ft) high at this location, they moved inland several km, causing such severe damage that the town was abandoned. Maximum wave heights were estimated at 4-5 m (13-16 ft) at Nagua. A small tsunami was recorded by tide gauges at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Bermuda; Daytona Beach, Florida and Atlantic City, New Jersey.” USGS said.

The 7.6 M aftershock, which occurred 4 days after the mainshock, generated a small tsunami and caused additional damage.

Related Links:

• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes
• FEWW Volcano Links

For More Information Visit Haiti Earthquake Disaster Links Page!