Earthquakes In Haiti

Improved Essays
Six years ago, the country of Haiti was high by earthquake that killed thousands. The deaths occurred due to lack of infrastructure and warning of the earthquake and its 59 aftershocks. This occurred due to a transform movement between the Caribbean and North American plates ("Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION", n.d.). If there had been more warning of this earthquake, potentially thousands of lives could have been saved. There are predictions based on historical earthquakes that can help scientists warn potentially affected areas, but there needs to be a better communication of this information to the citizens of Haiti. Since a majority of the deaths occurred due to building collapse, there should also be an influx of building codes and materials …show more content…
Plate tectonics theory is essentially that the earth made up of different plates that move and cause seismic activity like earthquakes (Tarbuck & Lutgens, 2015). Earthquakes occur on plate boundaries, which is the area between the many plates that make up the earth’s lithosphere. There are 3 types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent and transform. Divergent is when plates move away from each other. Convergent are two plates that are being pressed together until one slips below another. Finally, Transform is when two plates slide against each other (Tarbuck & Lutgens, 2015). The earthquake in Haiti was due to a transform movement between Caribbean and North American plate ("Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION", 2010). Even with all this information known about earthquakes, there is still not technology that can pinpoint when they will …show more content…
In 2010 Haiti was blindsided by the initial earthquake which was 7.0 magnitude and then 12 days later there were 59 aftershocks that measured a magnitude of 4.5 or greater ("M7.0 Haiti Anniversary", 2015). One of these aftershocks occurred 7 minutes after the main earthquake and it was a magnitude of 6.0 ("Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION", 2010). Predicting the initial shock, and when the future aftershocks would occur could have saved thousands of lives that day. Even though years have passed since Haiti’s earthquake there have not been very many advancements in predicting earthquakes. There is paleoseismology which is the study of prehistoric earthquakes and use that information to infer when future earthquakes may occur. If scientists can locate seismic gaps, where there has not been much activity, they could predict if one may happen in the near future (Nelson, 2013). In the short term, scientists would have to actively monitor boundaries that are prone to activity, and look for precursor events like earthquakes that occur below the surface plates. Finally, there are P-wave warning systems that could warn surround areas of the incoming quake, moments before it occurs (Nelson, 2013). This is fairly dismal considering how unpredictable plate movement can be, and that it can occur at any time of day. The best way to handle an earthquake is to always be prepared for

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    1960 Valdivia Earthquake

    • 297 Words
    • 2 Pages

    For example, 1960 Valdivia earthquake is one of the largest earthquake events of the last century. This earthquake happened in Chile and the magnitude of the earthquake was 9.5. The Valdivia earthquake happened in the American plate and the Antarctica plate. The huge earthquake caused lots of people died and most of the buildings were destroyed by the earthquake. In addition, the national economy suffered heavy losses.…

    • 297 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Earthquake preparedness has been improved through spreading earthquake awareness and increased earthquake monitoring. As of 2013, Haiti has 15 seismic monitoring stations (Earthquake Monitoring in Haiti,…

    • 725 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    he movement of the tectonic plates causing a shaking of the Earth’s surface, is an earthquake. Seismographs are instruments that can measure the size of an earthquake, from a tremor to a major event, as they are happening almost unceasingly. Some earthquakes can cause major events like broken dams, landslides, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and destruction of cities. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2015) The densest areas of the map – appendix 2 – is around Indonesia and New Zealand.…

    • 850 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The earthquake itself affected earth in several ways whether that be environmentally, or even by providing knowledge and concepts that are still relevant and important today. During this time in 1906 a seismograph was recently invented but there were very few at that time. One seismograph was put in an underground room beneath the Weather Bureaus main office in order to be removed from the noise and movements of the streets. It only took eight minutes for the initial waves to travel over 2,500 miles to where the seismograph was held in Washington DC (Potter,2008).…

    • 1043 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Earthquake In Haiti

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In 2010, a seven point zero magnitude earthquake hit this small country in the Caribbean. In Haiti, this was a devastating natural disaster that has effected the country even to this day. Ever since the earthquake the economic infrastructure of the country has been severely struggling (Massive Earthquake Hits Haiti, n.d.). The struggles of this country have been going on for decades even before the earthquake, but the challenges that the people face have all been the same. Haiti can be found in the Caribbean sharing boarders with only one country, the Dominican Republic (Where is Haiti?, 2015).…

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Such as Pakistan & Kashmir had an earthquake of a magnitude of 7.6 and many died. Many buildings that cost millions and billions are just wasted and were taken down by the massive earthquake. In 1985, 9,500 died of a subduction zone coast of maz old messages, in rocks from pyramid in the ancient aztec legend times to pinpoint the most dangerous faults. And know when they are due to rupture. I don’t know what scientist know or if they can actually predict an earthquake…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The amount of monetary damage from an earthquake and the loss of life, depends on the type of soil, the retrofitting of the land, and how dense the population of that city is. In 1989, San Fransisco, California, was hit with a 15-second earthquake; the earthquake was 7.1 in magnitude. The fault of this earthquake was on the San Andres fault line. The damage from this earthquake was very severe, roadways were torn apart, and houses were destroyed. The area of the most damage was built on poor ground conditions, and sandy and loose soil.…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Earthquakes on average kill about 10,000 people per year, not including injuries and damages caused. Many lives have been ruined by natural disasters and more have yet to come because of the constant shifting of tectonic plates. Beatriz Mendez’s father, Adolfo Mendez, has been one of the unfortunate survivors of an earthquake and had suffered from several great losses. He did not like to bring up such a traumatizing event due to grief, but the past can never be forgotten no matter what.…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Although geologist cannot predict when an earthquake will occur, they can make assumptions based on location and previous earthquake activity if earthquakes will continue in the same area. The records of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake explain why damage…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    ‘Tectonic hazard profiles determine the way in which people and governments respond to hazards.’ Discuss. (Total 70 marks) Plan Definition of tectonic hazard, plate movements, LEDCs, MEDCs, responses, people and governments (human responses)…

    • 1570 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to Christopher Scholz and his two colleagues, “The sudden movement of the Earth caused by the abrupt release of accumulated strain along a fault in the interior,” meaning an earthquake is the sudden movement along a fault line, which is where tectonic plates meet. When the plates shift this causes the Earth to shake but when the plates become unrestrained large earthquakes occur. The earthquake is not something that happens in one moment, it is a gradual buildup of pressure in one area that when released can cause large…

    • 684 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cholera In Haiti

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “In addition to the personal losses of homes and crops, more than 716 schools, numerous health facilities, and the existing sanitation infrastructure in Haiti all suffered damage as a result of Hurricane Matthew” (UNICEF Haiti). This damage has resulted in limited access to clean water and numerous cases of water-borne diseases. A new water purification system as well as information on the transmission of disease is necessary to help the people of Haiti’s southern peninsula. Haiti is no stranger to natural disaster, as it suffered a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 and has been dealing with a Cholera outbreak ever since. In addition, Haiti has suffered from “high levels of vulnerability due to a three-year El-Niño-induced…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Greetings everyone. Today 8 lucky people will have the opportunity to accompany me Abdulla Hassan The president of the student for philanthropy organization this summer to Haiti on a mission to help rebuild their nation after the January 12, 2010 earthquake (Taft-Morales). Our main job will be to help those fellow human beings to rebuild their nation after the earthquake struck. As we may be aware, it has been more than five years now since the tragedy.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On planet earth, calamities that have devastating effects have occurred over the years with some natural being and others happening as a result of human interference. Disasters are always undesirable in any part of the world and bring about significant losses in life and property. Among the most severe calamities in the world since the old ages, earthquakes stand out as one of the most severe disasters. Earthquakes are calamities that cause a massive loss of life and property any time they occur. They are caused by diverse circumstances, and they have numerous effects on the people living in the area that they occur.…

    • 836 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Causes Of Tsunami Essay

    • 736 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sometimes the plates don't move smoothly which allows pressure and tension to build and in the end it is the rapid release of energy that allows an earthquake to occurs.…

    • 736 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays