The ruins left on the island nation of Haiti are a reminder of just how powerful nature can be. The energy earthquakes can generate are often larger than that released by an atomic bomb.
Haiti lies along a fault that separates the North American plate from the Caribbean plate. Most of the islands you see in the Caribbean are a result of plates pushing and sliding against each other, including Haiti.
"It would be well known in this area that there are earthquakes and that some would be very large and exactly in the range one would predict for Haiti," said Dale Sawyer, Earth Science Professor, Rice University.
Haiti lies to the south of the Gulf of Mexico, but scientists say Houston is not really at risk for earthquakes.
"Houston is safe because there are no faults that run through an area close to Houston," said Sawyer.
But while Houston may be safe from the direct violence of a quake, there is still a looming danger from tsunamis, which are triggered by earthquakes. The tsunami of 2005 was a result of an earthquakes that occurred thousands of miles away.
"If such an earthquake were to generate such a risky tsunami, expect it to be further north in the Gulf of Mexico," said Julia Morgan, Plate Tectonics Specialist, Rice University.
The Haiti earthquake was too far away to generate a tsunami in Houston, but if the fault because active west of Cuba, Houston would have to keep a close eye.
According to Dr. Sawyer, Alaska remains at the highest risk for earthquakes. California is a close second.
Haiti lies along a fault that separates the North American plate from the Caribbean plate. Most of the islands you see in the Caribbean are a result of plates pushing and sliding against each other, including Haiti.
"It would be well known in this area that there are earthquakes and that some would be very large and exactly in the range one would predict for Haiti," said Dale Sawyer, Earth Science Professor, Rice University.
Haiti lies to the south of the Gulf of Mexico, but scientists say Houston is not really at risk for earthquakes.
"Houston is safe because there are no faults that run through an area close to Houston," said Sawyer.
But while Houston may be safe from the direct violence of a quake, there is still a looming danger from tsunamis, which are triggered by earthquakes. The tsunami of 2005 was a result of an earthquakes that occurred thousands of miles away.
"If such an earthquake were to generate such a risky tsunami, expect it to be further north in the Gulf of Mexico," said Julia Morgan, Plate Tectonics Specialist, Rice University.
The Haiti earthquake was too far away to generate a tsunami in Houston, but if the fault because active west of Cuba, Houston would have to keep a close eye.
According to Dr. Sawyer, Alaska remains at the highest risk for earthquakes. California is a close second.
