This Happened
This Happened—January 12: Earthquake In Haiti
An earthquake in Haiti that killed 220,000 people happened on this date in 2010.
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Why was the 2010 Haiti earthquake so devastating?
The earthquake registered a magnitude 7.0, which is a high level of energy at the point of impact. But it occurred at 6.2 miles below the surface, a shallow depth, which meant its powerful energy had a devastating effect at ground level.
What were the effects of the Haiti earthquake?
The tremor lasted just 35 seconds, but it killed over 220,000 people. Five million people were left homeless, and 1.5 million people were forced to live in makeshift camps with rainy season just weeks away.
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