What caused the earthquake in Haiti on January 12 2010?

Answer 1

An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time. When the Richter measurement is reported it ranges from very small earth quakes Magnitude 1 right up to the catastrophic magnitude 9, with magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes being mostly imperceptible and magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas. Like in this case study with Haiti.

The quake will be felt - on some level - for years. Local industries have been set back, and the pall on a country afflicted by natural disasters will remain overhead, discouraging risk-averse investors. Haiti is currently the 17th-largest supplier by volume of products to the US, with exports worth $424 million in 2009, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association. Interruption in this industry will have a clear, immediate impact on the local economy.

Answer 2

The earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, was caused by movement along a previously unrecognized fault line called the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system. This fault system runs along the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates, and the release of accumulated stress along this fault caused the devastating earthquake.