#145: 3 replies on earthquakes

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

1995 Earthquake.  Felt it in National Palace.  No one seems phased by it.   I 
thought explosives were being detenated underground or somewhere.  Later 
confirmed that it was an earthquake.  It was a mild quake but enough to make 
palace move

For more info on earthquakes check Haiti's office of disaster preparedness 
which is under the Ministry of Interior.  Also can check US military records 
re: 1995 earthquake. 

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From: PPARYSKI@aol.com

Bob,

Haiti is traversed by a number of geological faults which are a sources of 
earthquakes.  Many geologists think that Hispaniola was formed by the 
tectonic movement and collision of four smaller land masses: a large land 
mass comprising Hispaniola north of the Cul de Sac and its extension into the 
Dominican Republic and three smaller land masses that formed the southern 
peninsula (La Selle-Burouco, Miragoane-Fonds de Negres & and the SW-Massif de 
la Hotte).  The collision created faults, the most notable being a large 
fault on the north side of the Cul de Sac ending in the Sources Puant near 
Route National # 1 near Titayan.  There are large fault lines running through 
Boutelliers to Pic Macaya, through Fermathe, and through Cap Haitien.

Since I have been in and out of Haiti, I have experienced numerous small 
earthquakes and tremors.  The small quakes apparently relieve pressure thus 
avoiding a major quake.  They cause little or no damage, but are 
disconcerting.  Small peanuts compared to flaming barricades!

Florentin Maurrasse, a Haitian geologist at Florida International University, 
can provide you with much better and interesting information.

Paul Paryski