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Haiti - Security : Twenty earthquakes recorded in Haiti in 2018
10/04/2018 09:28:07

Monday, as part of the weekly press conference of the Ministry of Communication, the Engineer-Geologist Claude Prepetit, Director of the Bureau of Mines and Energy (BME) presented the balance sheet of the seismic activities in Haiti for the first quarter of the year 2018.

During the first quarter of 2018, the Technical Unit of Seismology (UTS) of the Bureau of Mines and Energy (BME) recorded about twenty earthquakes of magnitudes between 3.1 and 4.6 on the Richter scale of which more than 60% at sea. 61% of these earthquakes occurred at depths between 10 and 25 km.

In addition, the UTS was informed that following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit western Mexico, an offshore sequence of at least 6 earthquakes was recorded west of Gonâve Island on 16 and 17 February 2018, by the Seismological Observatory of the Loyola Polytechnic School, established in the Dominican Republic.

Prepetit recalled that earthquakes are caused at the level of the Region by the convergence of the Caribbean plate and the North American plate. Haiti is concerned by two major seismic faults alongside other minor faults: the fault of the peninsula of the South which runs through 5 departments of the country and the northern fault that runs through 3 departments.

Stressing that earthquakes are not predictable, risk prevention remains of rigor : it concerns the respect of the seismic norms in the constructions, the learning of the behaviors to be adopted before, during and after an earthquake and a good control of Contingency plans designed to provide a quick response to a major event.

In line with its mission to monitor the local and regional seismicity related to the activity of active faults, UTS undertakes Geodetic measures and plans to implement soon seismic stations alongside those already established in the territory https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23741-haiti-security-strengthening-of-the-seismic-monitoring-network.html

Richter Scale (measuring the magnitude of an earthquake) :

From 1.9 to 2.9: Micro-earthquake impossible to feel but recordable by seismographs ;
From 3.0 to 3.9 earthquake Does not cause damage but can be slightly felt ;
From 4.0 to 4.9 Earthquake capable of moving objects but generally not causing damage ;
From 5.0 to 5.9 Earthquake capable of causing major damage to old buildings or buildings with structural defects. Little damage to modern buildings ;
From 6.0 to 6.9 Strong earthquake capable of causing major destruction over a wide distance (180 km) around the epicenter ;
From 7.0 to 7.9 Earthquake capable of major to moderate destruction over a very wide area as a function of distance ;
8.0 to 8.9 Earthquake capable of major destruction over a very large area of several hundred kilometers ;
Above 9 Earthquake able to destroy everything in a very large area.