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2010 Haiti earthquake
Ruins of the Cathedral in the centre of Port au Prince.jpg
The heavily damaged National Palace after the earthquake.
UTC time 2010-01-12 21:53
ISC event 14226221
USGS-ANSS ComCat
Local date 12 January 2010
Local time 16:53:10 EST
Magnitude 7.0 Mw
Depth 13 km (8.1 mi)
Epicenter 18°28′N 72°32′W / 18.46°N 72.53°W / 18.46; -72.53
Areas affected Haiti, Dominican Republic
Max. intensity IX (Violent)
Peak acceleration 0.5 g
Tsunami Yes (localized)
Casualties 100,000 to 316,000 deaths (the higher figure is from a government estimate widely charged with being deliberately inflated; a figure of about 160,000 is provided in a 2010 University of Michigan study; the 100,000 figure is suggested by the U.S. Geological Survey.)

The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a very powerful earthquake that shook Haiti on January 12, 2010. It had a magnitude of 7.0 Mw, which is a measure of its strength. The earthquake's center was near Léogâne, a town very close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city. It was only about 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the capital. The quake happened in the afternoon, at 4:53 PM local time. Haiti was already the poorest country in the western hemisphere, which made it very difficult for them to help all the people who needed it after such a big disaster.

What Happened During the Earthquake?

About three million people were affected by the earthquake. Many homes and buildings were completely destroyed. Just three days after the earthquake, officials in Haiti said that up to 200,000 people might have died. This was a much higher number than first thought. The Red Cross had first estimated a lower number of deaths, around 45,000 to 50,000.

Damage in Port-au-Prince

The earthquake caused huge damage in Port-au-Prince. Many important landmarks were badly damaged or completely destroyed. The Presidential Palace, where the president works, was destroyed. The National Assembly building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and the city's main jails also collapsed. The president at the time, René Préval, survived the earthquake.

Most hospitals in the area were destroyed, which made it much harder to help injured people. The main office of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in Port-au-Prince also fell down. The head of the Mission, Hédi Annabi, his deputy, and the acting police chief were all killed. A representative from the United Nations (UN) called this earthquake the worst disaster the UN had ever faced. This was not just because of the damage and deaths. Roads, phone lines, and government buildings were also destroyed. This made it very hard to get organized and send help to the people who needed it most.

Images for kids

  • 2010 haiti shake map

    USGS intensity map

  • Gonâve microplate

    Map showing regional tectonic setting of the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone

  • 2010 Haiti Quake Aftershock Damage Satellite Image

    Tiny dots of white against the plant-covered landscape (red in this image) are possible landslides, a common occurrence in mountainous terrain after large earthquakes. The Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone runs along the two linear valleys at the top of the image

  • Haiti Earthquake building damage

    Damaged buildings in Port-au-Prince

  • Earthquake damage in Jacmel 2010-01-17 4

    Damaged buildings in Jacmel

  • Haitian national palace earthquake

    Large portions of the National Palace collapsed

  • Haiti earthquake damage overhead

    Léogâne, close to the earthquake epicenter

  • Haiti earthquake camp

    Assistance camp set up by the Brazilian Army.

  • Fairfax County Urban SAR scales Montana Hotel 2010-01-14

    Urban Search and Rescue specialists work at the Hôtel Montana

  • Haitians fill ferry in Port-au-Prince 2010-01-16

    The Haitian government began a programme to move homeless people out of Port-au-Prince on a ferry to Port Jeremie and in hired buses to temporary camps

  • AirdropcloseJan18haiti edited

    One of the first parachute air drops after the quake, 18 January

  • Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - IDF Coordination with American Doctor (1)

    Israeli and U.S. medical personnel coordinate relief efforts.

  • USN MH-53E lands supplies at Port-au-Prince 2010-01-16

    MINUSTAH troops meet a U.S. relief flight on 16 January

  • EscombrosBelAir5 Edit1

    UN forces took to patrolling the streets of Port-au-Prince

  • Pararescue in Haiti 2010

    A USAF pararescueman searching through demolished buildings in Port-au-Prince for survivors

  • Hospital ship usnscomfort Jan 20 haiti

    Helicopters transfer injured earthquake victims to hospital ship USNS Comfort off the coast of Haiti

  • Haitians pull out a body from the rubbles of a school (12 january 2010)

    While international efforts received significant media coverage, much of the local rescue effort was conducted by Haitians

  • LA County SAR pulls Haitian woman from earthquake debris 2010-01-17

    A woman is rescued alive from rubble several days after the initial quake

  • Usns comfort patient haiti jan22

    A Haitian child is treated aboard a hospital ship

  • Haiti relief landing jan22

    Landing ships move supplies onshore from the rescue fleet

  • Haitians in Port-de-Paix await distribution of relief supplies 2010-01-15

    Haitians await the opening of a supply depot, 16 January

  • PAPemergencyops

    Planes loaded with aid supplies crowd the tarmac at Port-au-Prince airport, waiting to be unloaded, 18 January

  • Haiti Cash-for-Work Programme

    The UN Development Programme employed hundreds of Haitians to clear roads and to make fuel pellets in a cash-for-work scheme

  • 2010년 중앙119구조단 아이티 지진 국제출동100119 몬타나호텔 수색활동 (454)

    South Korea's National Rescue Services team

  • FAA mobile control tower & equipment loaded onto Antonov An-124 at HST 2010-01-21 1

    A US mobile air traffic control tower is moved to Haiti by an Antonov An-124 Ruslan

  • Rubbles of the cathedral after the earthquake that hit the Capital Port au Prince just before 5 pm on 12 January 2010

    Remnants of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption after its collapse. In 2020, the building is still in ruins.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Terremoto de Haití de 2010 para niños

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