Haiti earthquake devastation partly caused by deforestation
MAR 17, 2010
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.024165
NPR : Geologists working in Haiti say they’ve been able to trace the exact location of the earthquake fault that gave way on 12 January and killed more than 200,000 people. They’ve also discovered that decades of deforestation in Haiti actually contributed to the earthquake’s toll along the coastline by allowing sediment to drain from the mountains and form a flood plain which people built on. This loose soil liquified in the earthquake, causing loss of life. Related news picks The Haiti earthquake Haiti likely to suffer more aftershock tremors More science from the Haiti earthquake
© 2010 American Institute of Physics
