0
The name of the fault line responsible for the January 2010 Haitian earthquake is the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault. It is a strike-slip fault, like the San Andreas Fault in California. Movement occurs horizontally.
This fault along with the Oriente and Septentrional Fracture Zones to the north of Haiti are part of the transform boundary that separates the Caribbean and North American plates where the Caribbean plate is moving eastwards by about 20 mm/year relative to the North American plate.
However the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault has been locked for approximately 250 years. As such this movement has caused localised stresses to accumulate in the Earth's crust around the locked fault zone over time, causing energy to be stored in the form of elastic strain or elastic potential energy (like that in a compressed spring). Ultimately this stress has exceeded the shear strength of the crust in the fault zone causing a sudden brittle failure or rupture. This in turn causes movement and a sudden release of the stored elastic strain energy in the form of seismic waves (as well as heat and sound).
This ultimately resulted in a rupture of the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault that was approximately 65 km (40 miles) in length with an average slip of 1.8 m (5.9 ft).
Please see the related question for more information.
What else can I help you with?
Which plate boundary caused the Haitian earthquake in January 2010?
The earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 was caused by the movement of the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates along the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone, which is a strike-slip fault boundary. This movement resulted in a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated the region.
Was the Haiti earthquake caused by destructive plate boundaries?
The Haitian earthquake that occurred in January 2010 was caused by a transform boundary where two tectonic plates were sliding past each other. For more information please see the related question.
What are the similarities between the Haitian earthquake and San Francisco earthquake?
Both of these earthquakes occurred due to movement on a transform fault. In the San Francisco earthquakes, this movement occurred on the San Andereas fault and in Haiti this was caused by movement on the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault.
What is the earthquake called in haiti?
The earthquake that occurred in Haiti on January 12, 2010 is known as the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It was a catastrophic event that caused widespread devastation and loss of life in the country.
What happened in Haiti on the 12th of January 2010?
On the 12th of January, Haiti experienced a magnitude 7 earthquake. This was due to movement of the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault that caused a sudden release of stored energy in the form of seismic waves. The epicentre of the Earthquake was very close to the Haitian capital city Port-au-Prince which caused significant damage to infrastructure and caused the collapse of a large number of buildings. It is estimated that approximately 230,000 people were killed in the Earthquake and more than 250,000 people injured. Please see the related questions for more information.
Which fault caused the Haitian earthquake?
The Haitian earthquake in 2010 was caused by a slip along a previously unknown fault called the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone. It is a strike-slip fault that runs along the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates.
Which plate boundary caused the Haitian earthquake in January 2010?
The earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 was caused by the movement of the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates along the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone, which is a strike-slip fault boundary. This movement resulted in a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated the region.
Was the Haiti earthquake caused by destructive plate boundaries?
The Haitian earthquake that occurred in January 2010 was caused by a transform boundary where two tectonic plates were sliding past each other. For more information please see the related question.
Which tectonic plates caused the Haitian earthquake of January 2010?
On a global tectonic scale, movement of the Caribbean and the North American plates were responsible for the Haitian earthquake. However on a subregional tectonic scale, there is a smaller plate that separates the Caribbean and the North American plates known as the Gonave micro-plate on which Haiti is partly situated (on the eastern end). The Gonave micro-plate is bounded to the north by the Oriente and Septentrional Fracture Zones and to the south by the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault, movement on which caused the magnitude 7 Haitian earthquake on the 12th of January 2010. Please see the related questions and links.
Does an earthquake cause a fault?
No an earthquake is caused because in that certain area where the earthquake was , there was a fault line.
Do strike slip faults only occur in California?
No. They can form anywhere on Earth's surface / within the lithosphere that is affected by shear stress. For example the fault that caused the 2010 Haitian earthquake was a strike slip fault.
What fault did the Haiti earthquake occur on?
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.
What tectonic plates caused the Haitian earthquake?
Tha Haitian Earthquake was caused by the transform boundary between the Caribbean and the North American plates. Please see the related question for mor information about the Haitian Earthquake.
What are the similarities between the Haitian earthquake and San Francisco earthquake?
Both of these earthquakes occurred due to movement on a transform fault. In the San Francisco earthquakes, this movement occurred on the San Andereas fault and in Haiti this was caused by movement on the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault.
What fault caused the 1906 San Francisco earthquake?
The San Andreas Fault
What type of fault is Shakespeare Bridge which was caused by northridge earthquake?
normal fault and reverse fault.
What type of fault caused the 1556 shaanxi earthquake in china?
The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake in China was caused by a thrust fault. This type of fault occurs when two tectonic plates are compressed together, forcing one up and over the other. In this case, the thrust fault caused significant damage and loss of life in the region.
