Massive Earthquake Port-au-Prince HAITI

[lenseman]

At seven minutes to five in the afternoon local time (21:52UTC), Haiti was rocked by a very powerful earthquake [Magnitude 7.1]. Large parts of Port-au-Prince have been levelled including the UN Buildings, the main hospital and the Presidential Palace.

Currently, there are on-going major aftershocks, greater than Magnitude 5.5.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

UPDATE at 0350Z:

Tsunami warnings:

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 2153Z 12 JAN 2010
COORDINATES - 18.5 NORTH 72.5 WEST
LOCATION - HAITI REGION
MAGNITUDE - 7.1

EVALUATION

A TSUNAMI MEASURING 12 CM CREST-TO-TROUGH WAS RECORDED AT SANTO
DOMINGO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND A TSUNAMI LESS THAN 1 CM
CREST-TO-TROUGH WAS RECORDED ON A DEEP OCEAN GAUGE IN THE
EAST-CENTRAL CARIBBEAN. BASED ON THESE DATA THERE COULD HAVE
BEEN DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI WAVES NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER
BUT THERE IS NOT A THREAT TO COASTAL AREAS FURTHER AWAY.
THEREFORE THE TSUNAMI WATCH ISSUED BY THIS CENTER IS NOW
CANCELLED.

FOR ANY AFFECTED AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES HAVE OCCURRED FOR AT
LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME OR DAMAGING WAVES
HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL
STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS.
AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE
ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL
AUTHORITIES.

THIS WILL BE THE FINAL PRODUCT ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BECOMES AVAILABLE.

 

[ccscott49]

Looks very bad, poor people, what with dictators and hurricanes they have had it bad for generations.

 

[lenseman]

Looks very bad, poor people, what with dictators and hurricanes they have had it bad for generations.

Sadly yes. This is the worst earthquake in Haiti for 200 years (1770). Pirates were moored in the harbour in those days.

Although predicted as off-shore, it was in fact on the main island 20kms to the south west of the capital. What makes this earthquake so bad is the fact that it was very shallow and occurred only 10kms below the surface.

There are many, many dead and injured.

 

[Sandyman]

UN man in Haiti has just reported that death toll could be as high as 100,000.

And these prats in this Country mank & moan about a little bit of snow & ice.

 

[lenseman]

Slowly, oh so slowly, they are getting their act together a full eight days after the event:

“Sending these ships will help those on the front line of this effort save as many lives in Haiti as possible,” said Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “These ships will add crucial capabilities by supporting operations to move large volumes of people and cargo.”

“Once again the U.S. Merchant Marine is answering the call for assistance, as it has done since our Nation began,” said Acting Maritime Administrator David T. Matsuda. “These ships and skilled crews are ideally suited to assist in Haiti by providing unique capabilities. One cargo ship can carry as much as 400 fully loaded cargo planes.”

FACT SHEET ON MARAD SHIPS

M/V Huakai is a new high-speed passenger and vehicle ferry capable of speeds of nearly 40 knots in the open ocean. It was obtained by the Maritime Administration when a Hawaiian ferry company failed and abandoned it. Since late last week it has been undergoing preparations in Norfolk, VA.
MV Gopher State is a TACS crane ship based in Norfolk, VA. The crane ships were designed to provide the capability to load and unload containers and other cargo in ports where facilities are badly damaged or nonexistent. Their most notable features are the three independent twin-boom pedestal-mounted rotating hydraulic deck cranes. These crane ships can also carry containers, small barges, or landing craft, and recent exercises have proven their capability to discharge container ships far from any port, which enhances their military usefulness. RRF crane ships bear the nicknames of states in the United States: the Gopher State honors Minnesota.
MV Cornhusker State is also a TACS crane ship based in Norfolk, VA. The Cornhusker State honors Nebraska. It previously served in Haiti during Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in 1994.
OPDS Petersburg is an Offshore Petroleum Discharge System tanker based in Alameda, CA. It has been specially modified to deliver petroleum products to military forces in areas where port facilities are damaged or non-existent. Within 48 hours of arrival on station, OPDS can be installed and commence pumping 1.2 million gallons per day from up to four miles off shore and at water depths down to 200 feet. If the ship is moored within two nautical miles of the shore, two different products may be pumped simultaneously through two separate conduits.

http://media-newswire.com/release_1110800.html