Earthquake Experts Predict More Caribbean Quakes Like Haiti

(January 18) A study in New Scientist suggests that not all of the energy running through the Caribbean region was released in the mega earthquake in Haiti on January 12th.

Earthquake experts, seismologists, fear that energy remaining in the fault system could trigger another large scale Caribbean earthquake.

“We’re most concerned about the Haitian peninsula, the area west of the fault rupture,” reports Carol Prentice of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The last time Haiti experienced an earthquake of this magnitude was in 1751 and 1770.  Says earthquake expert, Uri ten Brink, from the US Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, “Last time round there was a sequence of earthquakes.”  Bill McGuire from University College London says, “Stress transfer along the fault is likely to trigger a chain of quakes.”

Scientists are also worried about the potential threat to surrounding island nations.  Prentice suggests that the Haitian earthquake may have increased the chance of a future quake in the Dominican Republic.  She also suggests that repercussions to Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico are low.