Few building codes, perfect-storm earthquake led to massive destruction in Haiti, experts say

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The catastrophic earthquake in Haiti was in many ways a perfect storm: A strong, shallow temblor beneath a densely populated area with few building codes.

The magnitude 7.0 quake occurred along the boundary separating two major tectonic plates, the Caribbean and North American plates.

Most of the movement along these plates is what is known as left-lateral strike slip motion, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, with the Caribbean plate moving eastward in relation to the North American plate.

Kate Hutton, a seismologist at Caltech, said that the destruction caused by Tuesday’s quake was due to three major factors: the size of the quake itself, the fact that it struck under an urban center with a high density, and that it happened in a region with few building codes or enforcement.

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-- Cara Mia DiMassa

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