Update from the Houston Chronicle: "Major quake hits Haiti; many casualties expected"
From TV New Zealand:
Major magnitude 7.3 quake hits Haiti
A major magnitude 7.3 quake hit the impoverished country of Haiti on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey reported.
The epicenter of the quake, which was initially reported a magnitude 7.0 off the coast, was located inland, 10 km west of Carrefour, close to the capital Port-au-Prince and was only 30 km deep.
A major earthquake, of magnitude 7 or higher, is capable of causing widespread and heavy damage. There was no immediate report of damage or casualties.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
From the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center:
...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
