Earthquake Risk in the Carribbean - higher than I thought... (country, place)

[Tiger Beer]

Source: Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog : Catastophic earthquake rocks Haiti : Weather Underground

I'm mostly posting this as I just wasn't aware of one before Haiti before.

According to the map, it looks like the risk of Port-au-Prince is not as high as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and others places a bit south. Surprising to me.

Looks like the Dominican Republic has had the worst as well - 8.1 in 1946.

Havana side of Cuba looks surprisingly free from it all though.

Anyone else surprised by all this?

[theunbrainwashed]

I'm not surprised at all. There's a subduction zone 90 miles north of the islands called the Puerto Rico Trench. Northwest Puerto Rico has also had a tsunami in the early 20th century. I'm from there originally and have felt moderate strength earthquakes in the past, the good (and bad) thing is earthquakes are not felt every week in Puerto Rico like in California, but up above the trench there's always about one a week, but a weak to moderate one

[AntonioR]

In this map you will see all the major fault lines in the Greater Antilles:

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project...p_USGS_big.jpg

I think Hispaniola gets a very strong earthquake every 50 years or so. The Dominican Republic had a very strong earthquake in 1946 and then there was one in Haiti in 2010, a little over 50 years, so statistically its going to be a while before the next huge one hits that island (or near), perhaps around the year 2060.

[MalaMan]

A place that is so beautiful can be so dangerous...

We are really VERY VERY lucky here in Brazil, for not having tectonic faults in our territory, no earthquakes, no volcanos.

And also no hurricanes and no tornadoes... We are REALLY lucky!

[DoubleXAs]

I am surprised at that. I thought Hurricanes where the only thing people from the carribean worried about.

[Average Fruit]

Originally Posted by SuperMario

I am surprised at that. I thought Hurricanes where the only thing people from the carribean worried about.

Nope. Tsunamis, Volcanoes and Tornadoes.

[mulatto]

Originally Posted by Average Fruit

Nope. Tsunamis, Volcanoes and Tornadoes.

what Caribbean country experienced tornadoes? I know of Montserrat, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia etc with volcanic activity but never heard of tornadoes though.

[allenk893]

Originally Posted by SuperMario

I am surprised at that. I thought Hurricanes where the only thing people from the carribean worried about.

Surprisingly no. There's risk of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods, etc. Actually, the man who prophecized about the Haiti earthquake back in 2009, prophesized again (a few months ago I believe) that a tsunami is going to hit the Dominican Republic soon. Warn all your Dominican family and friends to warn their families in the islands.

[Average Fruit]

Originally Posted by mulatto

what Caribbean country experienced tornadoes? I know of Montserrat, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia etc with volcanic activity but never heard of tornadoes though.

Tornadoes are rare but not unusual. The Bahamas had one last year, so did Jamaica, and puerto rico

BBC News - Tornado delays Caribbean games opening ceremony

Barbados have experienced tornadoes, so have Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Bermuda. Others probably experience them too.

Tornadoes are usually small, and don't cause to much damage.

here's a Tornado in Barbados last year, pretty tiny.


Mini Twister in St.John , Barbados Sept 25th 2010 - YouTube

here's one in Aruba, but I can't tell if it's a Tornado or a waterspout.


hoos aruba 260807 - YouTube

[RandyWatson13]

Wow, those tornados are very rare!