7.3 earthquake hits Haiti

[Sue L]

Just heard it on the news!

[coxswain]

Just heard it on the news!

 

 

 

THIS MESSAGE APPLIES TO COUNTRIES WITHIN AND BORDERING THE

CARIBBEAN SEA...EXCEPT FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

 

... A LOCAL TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT ...

 

A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR

 

HAITI / CUBA / BAHAMAS / DOMINICAN REP

 

FOR OTHER AREAS OF THE CARIBBEAN COVERED BY THIS MESSAGE...IT IS

FOR INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME.

 

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY

NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE

DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND

ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

 

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 - 7.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[jmnieves]

Looks like Fredom was calling Labadee today.

[coxswain]

Reports of a hospital that has collapsed and people were screaming for help.

 

The quake struck Tuesday afternoon and was centered about 14 miles west of the Caribbean nation's capital, Port-au-Prince.

 

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

Oh my, hope everyone is ok. I'm from the land of earthquakes, but Im sure for tourist that arn't used to them, that would be scary!

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

Reports of a hospital that has collapsed and people were screaming for help.

 

The quake struck Tuesday afternoon and was centered about 14 miles west of the Caribbean nation's capital, Port-au-Prince.

 

 

 

 

 

jj.....

 

Oh My! So sad.

[Redheada]

10 miles from Labadee - Freedom is there today maybe? Tsunami issued....

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Listening to the same news reports..... so sad..

[Linda VH]

7.3 is HUGE!!! Hope everyone on RCI cruise is okay a well as the people from Haiti.

[Redheada]

Sounds like the Dominican Republic may have damage

[Pumbaamd]

Labadee is on the north coast. Port au Prince is closer to the south coast. The quake is close to Port au Prince.

R&D

[Redheada]

It doesnt matter with a 7.0 - when it is only 10 miles away. Sounds like a hospital did collapse and they are all under tsunami warning...

[mehitabel]

Those poor people--they will be in my prayers for swift rebuilding and healing.

[philamike]

According to the USGS, the quake was at least 100 miles south of Labadee -- so if it was felt there, it wouldn't be too strong. Plus, the quake was at 4:53 p.m., and Freedom was scheduled to sail at 5 p.m. -- therefore, everyone should have been back on the ship by then. (Wait, they dock at Labadee now, right? Hmmm...)

 

But we'll just need to keep an eye on the tsunami risk...

[Redheada]

Tsunami message number 1

nws pacific tsunami warning center ewa beach hi

2203 utc tue jan 12 2010

 

this message applies to countries within and bordering the

caribbean sea...except for puerto rico and the virgin islands.

 

... A local tsunami watch is in effect ...

 

A tsunami watch is in effect for

 

haiti / cuba / bahamas / dominican rep

 

for other areas of the caribbean covered by this message...it is

for information only at this time.

 

This bulletin is issued as advice to government agencies. Only

national and local government agencies have the authority to make

decisions regarding the official state of alert in their area and

any actions to be taken in response.

 

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 - 7.3

 

evaluation

 

a destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist based on

historical earthquake and tsunami data.

 

However - there is the possibility of a local tsunami that

could affect coasts located usually no more than a hundred

kilometers from the earthquake epicenter. Authorities for the

region near the epicenter should be aware of this possibility.

Areas further from the epicenter could experience small sea

level changes and strong or unusual coastal currents.

 

Estimated initial tsunami wave arrival times at forecast points

within the warning and watch areas are given below. Actual

arrival times may differ and the initial wave may not be the

largest. A tsunami is a series of waves and the time between

successive waves can be five minutes to one hour.

 

Location forecast point coordinates arrival time

-------------------------------- ------------ ------------

haiti jeremie 18.6n 74.1w 2224z 12 jan

port-au-prince 18.5n 72.4w 2229z 12 jan

cap-haiten 19.8n 72.2w 2255z 12 jan

cuba baracoa 20.4n 74.5w 2249z 12 jan

bahamas great inagua 20.9n 73.7w 2246z 12 jan

dominican rep puerto plata 19.8n 70.7w 2304z 12 jan

santo domingo 18.5n 69.9w 2337z 12 jan

 

additional bulletins will be issued by the pacific tsunami

warning center for this event as more information

becomes available.

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

A 7.0 will get your attention. Back in 1989, when the big one hit San Francisco, I felt it STRONGLY in my apartment in LA, and that's several hundred miles away....It was a 7.1 by the way.

[dodgersmom]

Praying for all the Haitian people and those on the ships. Even if they are off the island, a tsunami warning is scary when you are on a cruise ship. I am sure we all have images of Phuket, I do

[negc]

10 miles from Labadee - Freedom is there today maybe? Tsunami issued....

I believe that the distance between Port au Prince and Labadee is considerably more than 10 miles. This is certainly a tragic situation and our prayers go out to anyone who has suffered from the quake, but unless we receive reliable information to the contrary, it seems quite possible that given the distance separating it from the epicenter, the earthquake had little or no impact on Labadee.

[zoomerica]

I was in SF bay when the 89 hit and it knocked me off my feet!

 

So sorry for all those affected.....Hope all works out ok

[Redheada]

AP reported the distance and it was incorrect - Sorry. Regardless - that is a huge earthquake and while Labadee may be ok I am sure closer to the center is not and I would be much more concerned to be on a ship during a tsunami warning.....

[Sue L]

AP reported the distance and it was incorrect - Sorry. Regardless - that is a huge earthquake and while Labadee may be ok I am sure closer to the center is not and I would be much more concerned to be on a ship during a tsunami warning.....

 

 

Discovery had a program on and a ship at sea will not even feel a tsunami as it would just be another wave.

[Redheada]

Cruise critic reports the following on Twitter - also now reports of widespread damage. Sad :(

 

 

From Twitter:

 

If tsunamis hit, estimated arrival times imminent; Haiti, Bahamas, Cuba through 6 p.m. EST, Dominican Rep. between now and approx 6:30

[BND]

Tsunamis and ships have been addressed before. A ship would feel nothing more than a swell since a tsunami is not a wave until it gets closer to land and breaks onto it. Wikipedia has more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami

 

The height of the wave slows down and amplifies as it approaches shore. Out at sea, it's virtually unnoticeable. Now, it would feel it if it was docked, but once a watch is posted, it takes some time for a tsunami to come ashore.

[glrounds]

Praying for all the Haitian people and those on the ships. Even if they are off the island, a tsunami warning is scary when you are on a cruise ship. I am sure we all have images of Phuket, I do

 

If at sea, in deep water, the safest place to be as the tsunami would pass under the ship and, most likely, not even be noticed.:)

 

Its when the tsunami enters shallower waters (coasts) that it gains wave size and destructive strength.

[Redheada]

If at sea, in deep water, the safest place to be as the tsunami would pass under the ship and, most likely, not even be noticed.:)

 

 

That is good to know! It still sounds pretty bad for the island. :(