Catastophic earthquake rocks Haiti
After making it through the hurricane season of 2009 without a scratch, Haiti's terrible earthquake of January 12, 2010 has brought a catastrophe of unfathomable magnitude to the impoverished people of Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake was centered just ten miles southwest of the capital of Port-au-Prince, at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The shock occurred in the boundary region separating the Caribbean plate and the North America plate. The two plates slide past each other at a rate of about 0.8 inches (20 mm) per year, with the Caribbean plate moving eastward with respect to the North America plate. The fault that produced the quake is called the Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden fault system, and last produced a major earthquake in 1860. According to the USGS (Figure 1), 238,000 people near the quake's epicenter experienced violent to extreme shaking, capable of causing very heavy damage. A further 3.2 million people experienced very strong to severe shaking, capable of causing moderate to heavy damage. Another 1.3 million people experienced strong shaking, capable of causing moderate damage. Haiti's total population is just 9 million, so half the country's population lived in areas that received moderate to very heavy damage from the earthquake. The quake did not generate a large tsunami, though a tsunami of 5 inches (12 cm) was recorded at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It is possible that a local scale, moderately destructive tsunami was generated close to the shores of Port-au-Prince.
Figure 1. Earthquake shaking map for the January 12, 2010 Haitian earthquake, from the USGS. According to the USGS, 238,000 people near the quake's epicenter experienced violent to extreme shaking, capable of causing very heavy damage. A further 3.2 million people experienced very strong to severe shaking, capable of causing moderate to heavy damage. Another 1.3 million people experienced strong shaking, capable of causing moderate damage. Haiti's total population is just 9 million, so half the country's population lived in areas that received moderate to very heavy damage from the earthquake.
One of the greatest natural disasters in Haitian history
In many ways, the hurricane season of 2008 was the cruelest ever experienced in Haiti. Four storms--Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike--dumped heavy rains on the impoverished nation. The rugged hillsides, stripped bare of 98% of their forest cover thanks to deforestation, let flood waters rampage into large areas of the country. Particularly hard-hit was Gonaives, the fourth largest city. According to reliefweb.org, Haiti suffered 793 killed, with 310 missing and another 593 injured. The hurricanes destroyed 22,702 homes and damaged another 84,625. About 800,000 people were affected--8% of Haiti's total population. The flood wiped out 70% of Haiti's crops, resulting in dozens of deaths of children due to malnutrition in the months following the storms. Damage was estimated at over $1 billion, the costliest natural disaster in Haitian history. The damage amounted to over 5% of the country's $17 billion GDP, a massive blow for a nation so poor.
Thus when it became clear that the hurricane season of 2009 would spare Haiti further misery, I was delighted that our suffering neighbors would get a chance to regroup and rebuild. But the unimaginable destruction wrought by yesterday's quake is a staggering blow for a nation so poor. When the damage is tallied and compared to Haiti's GDP of $17 billion, the earthquake of 2010 could well prove to be one of the most devastating disasters in world history. Further, Haiti's population is only 9 million, and the number of people killed, injured, and made homeless will make up a huge fraction of the Haitian population.
Figure 2. An earthquake hazard map for the Caribbean reveals that yesterday's quake occurred in a relatively low-risk portion of the Caribbean. Image credit: USGS.
Haitian earthquake history
The western portion of Haiti where yesterday's quake occurred is in a relatively low seismic risk region of the Caribbean (Figure 2). Large quakes are uncommon in Haiti. The worst quake in Haitian history was probably the May 7, 1842 magnitude 7.7 Cap-Haitien earthquake. This massive tremor hit a fault on the northern portion of the island, killing 10,000; three hundred of these deaths were from a large tsunami generated by the quake. One of the largest cities in Haiti--Cap-Haitien, with a population of 60,000--was destroyed, with the loss of 6,000 lives.
Caribbean earthquake history
The Eastern Caribbean is no stranger to devastating earthquakes. The Caribbean Plate slides against the North American Plate along a line running through most of the islands in the Eastern Caribbean, generating frequent earthquakes. According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center, the most severe quake to hit the region occurred on February 8, 1843, when a tremor estimated at 8.0 - 8.5 on the Richter Scale struck the Lesser Antilles Islands. Heavy damage was reported from St. Maarten to Dominica. In Antigua, the English Harbour sank. In Point-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, all masonry construction was destroyed, and a fire broke out that burned down the remaining wooden structures. One third of the population, estimated at 4,000 - 6,000 persons, perished. The event was felt as far south as Caracas and British Guiana and was even felt 2,000 km away in Washington D.C., Vermont, and Charlestown, South Carolina. The largest Eastern Caribbean earthquake recorded by modern seismographs was the El Cibao earthquake in the Dominican Republic in 1946. The earthquake was of magnitude 8.1 and generated a tsunami which caused 75 deaths and rendered 20,000 homeless.
Figure 3. Smoke and dust rise from the rubble of Port-au-Prince a few minutes after the catastrophic earthquake of January 12, 2010. Image is from an anonymous YouTube video taken from a house overlooking Port-au-Prince.
Lambi Fund of Haiti and Portlight mobilize to help out
For the past five years, I've been a contributor and booster of the Lambi Fund of Haiti, a charity that is very active in promoting reforestation efforts, use of alternative fuels, and infrastructure improvements at a grass-roots level in Haiti. I've developed a great respect for the work they do in the country, and have gotten to know Karen Ashmore, the executive director of the charity, and have written articles for their newsletter. Karen wrote me last night with this plea for help: "Most buildings in Port-Au-Prince have been damaged or have collapsed, which would include homes of staff and families we work with, as well as the grain mills, sugar cane mills, and sites for community economic development. And cisterns and latrines we have supported for safe drinking water and sanitation. Major rebuilding effort needed. Please post on your blog".
To help the Lambi Fund rebuild what was destroyed, visit their on-line donation page. Keep in mind that they are second responders--their aim is not to provide for the immediate needs of food, water, and medicine, but to rebuild the Haitian infrastructure and economy.
Portlight.org, the remarkable disaster-relief charity that has sprung up from the hard work and dedication of many members of the wunderground.com community, has also mobilized to help out the victims of the Haitian earthquake. As Paul Timmons writes in the Portlight blog this morning,
Portlight's focus in this is going to be on people with disabilities in Haiti...providing medical equipment, shelter, and food for them...there is an article below about the treatment of this population in the best of times...and this ain't the best of times...
We have a "Go" container in Atlanta which will ship out in a few days...and an ongoing relationship with a community of Catholic sisters in Port au Prince who will be opening shelters...
Any funds we raise will be used to defray shipping costs of medical and clinical equipment...and for the purchase of food and other shelter supplies...Haiti is our neighbor...and Haitians are certainly forgotten people...people with disabilities in Haiti are frequently barely seen as human...
Anyone interested in going to Haiti to help staff one or more shelters for Haitians with disabilities please WU mail us...
So, please visit the Portlight.org blog to learn more and to donate. Portlight is acting as a first responder, to answer the immediate needs of the Haitian people for water, food, and medical equipment. Portlight is exploring ways they can work together with the Lambi Fund of Haiti to put the materials donated where they are most needed. If you're interested in sponsoring an Honor Walk to help raise funds for the Haitians, please contact Paul Timmons of Portlight, via the Portlight.org blog. Thank you.
There are two things Haiti does have going for it in the wake of this horrible tragedy. Firstly, it is not hurricane season, so the Haitians have six months to rebuild and shelter their homeless before the storms of summer arrive. There is a large mass of dry air over the Caribbean at present, so there will be dry weather for relief operations for at least the next few days. Secondly, former President Bill Clinton was appointed the UN Special Envoy to Haiti last year, and he brings an important visible face to the needs of Haiti's suffering people. A huge amount of aid will be needed for this tragedy.
My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and relatives of those affected by the earthquake.
I'll have a new post on Friday.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Unfortunately, that is the mentality with too many...not all, but many. While I was there, we'd encounter roadblocks of burning cars. They'd set peoples cars on fire in a line. It really is so hard to explain. I wish people here could really experience Haiti to understand. Life is much different in a place like Cite du Soleil (slums on the outskirts of Port au Prince) where people have dirt floors in their homes with no running water or bathrooms. There is a lot of mistrust especially of government (for good reason) and foreigners (again for good reason). Believe me, there is a lot more going on than the press is reporting. I have no doubt of that.
The people in Haiti need help but, unfortunately, all too often in the past the people who have come to help have abused that trust. And, unfortunately, those are the people long remembered rather than the well-meaning and caring souls who have done good in that country. It is no wonder there is anger and mistrust by people there.
Still having problems?
go here Link
just fill in your nickname:
then click connect.that's for storm chat. on the right hand side. just click the middle of the black box, that should start the studio cam with audio
Bob is having a bit of a problem with his audio tonight.
You think SFL will get rain out of this?
Sure is.
hhhmmm....not that I can think of...but you're welcome to call me and chat...Is mailing a check anoption? Portlight Strategies, Inc. 2043 maybank hwy. Charleston, SC 29412
Heard it - Great job - Thanks for being a Great Communicator, Oh Floodman!
Thanks ssoo much!!!!
Looks like to better monitor the weather, I heard that Haiti/Dominican Rep are expecting rain.
Zoomed in close too. Maybe just their way of keeping the focus on Haiti. Floaters are basically idle now anyway, so...
All of the above plus others for sure.
Btw to access the forecast for it on wunderground,type Port-Au-Prince with the hyphens or it will not work.
darned nice catch...
I personally like giving when you actually see the results. You see through post and pictures exactly what your dollar is doing. Sometimes giving hurts, we forgo things to make that donation. Seeing the results makes it worth it.
And I believe in the people who are doing it! Never seen such hearts of gold before!
+1
The Canary Islands are structurally part of the African continent, couple thousand miles from the MAR. Any CV collapse won't be caused by MAR
Stop what?
The question is how can we help? There are no easy answers because nobody has quite figured that one out. Many people sent in to help have hurt the people there. From sexual abuse and exploitation of the many street children to the charities sending clothing, food, etc... only to be sold by the people receiving it in country. And, I've no doubt, many will be exploited by this tragedy as well. It breaks my heart. Of course, the government is not to be trusted either. I talked to too many people who had a relative or friend killed for political reasons. So, if you cannot trust your government and you cannot trust the charities, who do you trust?
You are correct!
BTW, I will do that anytime you guys need me to do it; I've waited a long time to be of service to Portlight and anything I can do to help I will gladly do.
Now let's get some donations flowing and help some Haitians, shall we?
thanks
btw this Haiti earthquake is going to create many more people with disabilities than there were before. So many broken bodies are recieving no treatment, if they survive they will be disabled. Portlight is definitely going to be needed after this first response, I contributed once before and plan to do so again before the month is over.
back to lurkdom
Storm, thank you...as press said, you are as much an owner of our success as any of us...
Since Broward College has already committed to two agencies at this time, they cannot commit to Portlight, but they will allow for flyers and advertisements to be spread around the campus. I will be working on a flyer either tonight or tomorrow morning to post at all the campuses. In addition, I have gotten some students to make donations to Portlight at my campus.
Nova Southeastern University will be holding a candlelight vigil tomorrow night at 7pm and will be raising money for Haitian relief. I have contacted and spoke with the Nova Haitian president and they are very interested in helping Portlight raise funds to deliver the water units and other necessary items such as medicine and services and/or items for the disabled. I will be talking further with her tonight to see if I can confirm everything and come to an agreement with them.
I will have more updates when new info or fundraiser details come out.
Maybe that is another reason that it's been successful. Portlight doesn't simply accept your money, the want your input too.
So I was thinking that maybe some of those donation of clothing could be accepted with letting the donors know that they might not be shipped to Haiti, but might be used at the Portlight thrift shops, to help in not only this disaster but others that WILL follow.
I was preparing to send stuff to Patrap before this earthquake. Was planning to ship tomorrow. But I sorted again. The cruise stuff I've acquired (but unfortunately outgrown (lol)) going to NOLA for the thrift shop, and the regular summer clothes I thought might be appropriate for Haiti. But with logistics of shipping clothing to Haiti maybe it should still all go to the thirft shops. After all, I'm sure this is going to be an on-going effort in Haiti. Just rambling thoughts.
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