Communicate Science

Number of the Week
7.0

The magnitude (on the Richter Scale) of the earthquake that hit the Caribbean state of Haiti on Tuesday. The quake struck about 10 miles south-west of the capital Port-au-Prince and was followed by two aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude. The US Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred in the boundary region separating the Caribbean plate and the North America plate.