Landscapes and Hazards

The Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010. For the next 12 days at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. At least 3 million people were affected by the quake and the death toll ranges up to 160,000 people. Many notable landmarks were damaged during the quake. The Presidential Palace was crumbled, along with the main prison, where over 4000 prisoners escaped. The quake occurred in the northern boundary where the Caribbean tectonic plate moves eastward in relation to the North American plate. With Haiti being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the quake devastated the island and massive relief efforts were needed just to provide for the basic needs of the victims. Haiti is still recovering from this detrimental earthquake 9 years later.