Professor of Applied and Environmental Geophysics, Applied & Environmental Geophysics Research Group, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University, Staffs ST5 5BG, UK. p.styles@esci.keele.ac.uk
Abstract:
A devastating earthquake of magnitude 7 struck very close and almost beneath Port au Prince the capital of Haiti, the western half of the island of Hispaniola, early in the morning of Tuesday, 12 January 2010 ( Fig. 1 ). While in absolute terms this was by no means the largest earthquake recorded this year globally, the death toll is around 230 000, making it one of the world's worst earthquakes in terms of casualties in recorded history, with almost uncountable economic loss to one of the poorest countries in the world. Figure 1 Open in figure viewer PowerPoint Intensity map of 2010 Haiti earthquake (Image: USGS).
