This isn't directly volcano-related, but the USGS (and CNN) are reporting that a 7.0 earthquake just occurred in Haiti. Looking at the map, it seems that it epicentered only 10 miles/15 kilometers from Port Au Prince, the biggest city in Haiti. The earthquake was at 10 km depth - so a fairly shallow earthquake related to the complex transform faulting along the boundary of the Caribbean and Atlantic plates. A Tsunani Watch has been issued for the Caribbean as well - but the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center believes that the only effects will be local (within 100 km) of Hispaniola.
Eruptions
A blog of volcanic activity and research worldwide.
Profile
Hi! You're looking at Eruptions, a blog dedicated to volcanism. Your host is Dr. Erik Klemetti, a geologist who spends most of his professional time thinking about magma. Looking for info on the latest eruption? You've found the place.
If you like what you read, recommend Eruptions to friends and strangers on Digg, Slashdot, Reddit, Facebook, Technorati or wherever you like.
Search
Recent Posts
- Wednesday Whatzits: Haiti, Tungurahua erupts, Martian lava flows and a pile of updates
- 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
- Turriabla mini-update for 1/11/2010
- Friday Flotsam: FOX News kills the dinosaur with coal, Hawaiian lava flows and Turrialba update
- Thursday Throwdown: Turrialba, Mayon and the latest USGS/GVP Weekly Report
- Wednesday Whatzits: Mayon and Redoubt Quieten, Nyamuragira news and more on Turrialba
- Turrialba in Costa Rica erupts and a close view at Poas
- Gambling on a volcano
- Eruption update for 1/4/2009: Mayon, Nyamuragira, Galeras, Kilauea and Redoubt
- Galeras has large eruption - 12 km ash plume?
Recent Comments
- Diane on Wednesday Whatzits: Haiti, Tungurahua erupts, Martian lava flows and a pile of updates
- Passerby on Wednesday Whatzits: Haiti, Tungurahua erupts, Martian lava flows and a pile of updates
- Erik Klemetti on Wednesday Whatzits: Haiti, Tungurahua erupts, Martian lava flows and a pile of updates
- Boris Behncke on Wednesday Whatzits: Haiti, Tungurahua erupts, Martian lava flows and a pile of updates
- Leigh Williams on 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
- Suzanne on 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
- Diane on 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
- EKoh on 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
- EKoh on 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
- Gijs de Reijke on 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
Archives
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
Links
Volcanoes!- Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
- America's Volcanic Past
- Bulletin of Volcanology
- International Association of Volcanology and the Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI)
- Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
- Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program (GVP)
- Stromboli Online
- USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO)
- USGS Hawai'i Volcano Observatory (HVO)
- USGS Volcanic Hazards Program
- USGS Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO)
- The Volcanism Blog
- Volcano Live
- Volcano News
- Volcano World
- World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO)
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Clastic Detritus
- Geochemical Society
- Geology.com
- Geology News
- Geological Society of America (GSA)
- Geological Time Machine
- Magma Cum Laude
- Microecos
- Mineralogical Society of America
- Mineralogy Database
- Oregon State Univ. Online Mineral Collection
- The Reef Tank
- Stratigraphy.net
- Table of Nuclides
- Tectonic Plate Reconstructions
Useful Stuff
« Turriabla mini-update for 1/11/2010 | Main | Wednesday Whatzits: Haiti, Tungurahua erupts, Martian lava flows and a pile of updates »
7.0 Earthquake in Haiti
Category: Haiti • seismicity
Posted on: January 12, 2010 5:33 PM, by Erik Klemetti
Find more posts in: 
Physical Science
Environment
Share this: Facebook Twitter Stumbleupon Reddit Email + More
Trackbacks
Trackback URL for this entry: http://scienceblogs.com/mt/pings/129278
2
This is really horrible for the people of Haiti. They are a country of little resource, no trees/wood to rebuild infrastructure. The social aftermath of this earthquake is going to be huge.
4
I live in Santo Domingo and I felt it perfectly, but luckily nothing broke or fell down where I was. It felt like someone was shaking the chair i was sitting in with a very.... flowy motion... very odd.
5
Haiti and natural disasters... As if the country doesn't have enough problems to deal with already. Port-au-Prince has nearly 1.7 million inhabitants, and the arrondissement of Port-au-Prince has more than 2.1 million inhabitants. This is going to be in the headlines for at least some days I'm afraid...
6
This is very tragic, as Haiti is very ill-equipped to deal with it. I had been in Haiti numerous times back in the 80's, before the following decades of political unrest. Even then there was grinding poverty and only rudimentary infrastructure and government services. Haitians are a very resourceful, resilient and proud people but they willneed the help of other nations to deal with this tragedy.
7
CNN is on top of this (and doing a decent job), but Fox and MSNBC have decided not to interrupt O'Rielly and Olbermann.
Sad proof that cable news is about pundits and egos.
8
I just checked the news on this quake. The presidential palace, other government buildings, the National Cathedral, and many other buildings have collapsed. This has been a major disaster for the people of Haiti. They will definitely need help and a lot of it. There is no word yet on the US embassy, but the building across from it collapsed.
Haiti has been hit very hard by hurricanes in the recent past and the last one caused a loss of 70% of their crops. This is just tragic for them. I know if they get the help they need, they will be able to cope. It is just sad they have to go through this.
Let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
9
Thank you, Erik, for posting this information. I've been an avid reader of your blog as a layperson interested in volcanoes so when I got home tonight and checked my bookmark I learned about this horrific incident.
I sponsor a child in the Dominican Republic through World Vision and have several friends who sponsor children in Haiti. We pray that they and their families are alright. I've read that the Canadian government has pledged support and can only hope they deliver swift help in the most practical of ways.
10
Haiti has been devastated by a 7.0 earthquake. Many collapsed buildings (including U.N. headquarters there and the hospital in Port-au-Prince). Extensive coverage on Rachel Maddow tonight.
In a poignant plea for help from the international community, the Haitian ambassador said tonight on Rachel Maddow's show that we should send our money to relief organizations who already have people and infrastructure on the ground. Not known yet if the airport is usable; CNN reports the control tower is down. I can't find any mention of shipping/docks/water ingress.
I took a look at the organizations available, and I've chosen Direct Relief International; they seem to have a fairly robust infrastructure in-country (4 hospitals, several clinics, supply chain in place already). They bring supplies in by container ship; two of these arrived earlier today. Greg Laden has independently sussed this org out too and is also recommending it.
My other idea for a choice, Doctors Without Borders, reports damage to their medical facility and injuries to patients and staff.
Time to get out the debit/credit cards, folks. Haitians have had enough to bear without this catastrophe. The loss of life is going to be heartbreaking; we've got to help get supplies in to help the survivors and miniminize the death toll as much as humanly possible.
Post a Comment
(Email is required for authentication purposes only. On some blogs, comments are moderated for spam, so your comment may not appear immediately.)
Comments (10)
It sounds like it might be pretty bad .... collapsed hospital, other damage, and so on.
Posted by: Greg Laden | January 12, 2010 6:18 PM