The focus of the Haiti earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010, was relatively shallow, estimated to be about 13 kilometers (8 miles) beneath the surface. This shallow focus is one of the reasons why the earthquake caused such widespread devastation and high casualties.
The epicentre of an earthquake this the point in the earth where the earth moved (fractured) to cause the shaking of the ground. The 2010 Haiti earthquakes epicentre was located 15 miles WSW of Port-Au-Prince and was at a depth of 8.1 miles. it was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.
Haiti is sandwiched north and south between two fault lines: the Septentrional Fault and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault. The epicenter of the Haitian earthquake of 12 January 2010 was 10 miles south of the capital Port Au Prince, directly on the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault , at a depth of about 5.2 miles underground.
The focal depth of an earthquake is how far beneath the earth's surface the hypo-center of the earthquake.Because of its location in the Indian Ocean, however, its focal depth is measured as 30 kilometers below mean sea level, rather than being measured at the seabed.
The Haiti earthquake caused significant damage due to its magnitude (7.0), shallow depth, and the fact that it occurred near densely populated areas like the capital, Port-au-Prince. The region's lack of proper infrastructure and buildings designed to withstand earthquakes also contributed to the extensive damage and high casualties.
The epicenter of the 2010 Haiti earthquake was located near the town of Léogâne, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) southwest of the capital Port-au-Prince. The hypocenter, or the point within the earth where the earthquake originated, was approximately 13 kilometers (8 miles) deep.
The Christchurch earthquake that occurred in 2011 had a magnitude of 6.3. It caused widespread damage to buildings, infrastructure, and resulted in numerous casualties. The overall impact was significant due to the shallow depth of the quake and its proximity to urban areas.
The depth of focus of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 can range from 10 to 700 kilometers below the surface of the Earth. At this depth, the earthquake originates within the crust or upper mantle, releasing energy that can cause significant shaking and damage near the surface.
The high death toll in the Haitian 2010 earthquake was due to a combination of factors, including poor infrastructure that couldn't withstand the magnitude of the earthquake, lack of proper building codes and enforcement, high population density in affected areas, and limited emergency response capabilities in the country.
To completely describe where an earthquake started, you would need the coordinates of the earthquake's epicenter, the depth at which it originated within the Earth, and the fault line or tectonic plate boundary where the earthquake occurred. This information helps to pinpoint the exact location and provide insight into the geological context of the earthquake's origin.
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