AFTERSHOCKS HAITI

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded six aftershocks in the two hours after the main earthquake. The aftershocks were at magnitudes of approximately 5.9,[35] 5.5,[36] 5.1,[35] 4.5,[35] and 4.5.[35] Within the first nine hours 26 aftershocks of magnitude 4.2 or greater were recorded, 12 of which measured magnitude 5.0 or greater,[37] and on January 24 USGS reported that there had been 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater since the January 12 quake.[7]

On 20 January at 06:03 local time (11:03 UTC) the strongest aftershock since the earthquake,[38] measuring magnitude 5.9 Mw, struck Haiti.[39] The U.S. Geological Survey reported its epicentre was about 56 kilometres (35 miles) WSW of Port-au-Prince,[40] which would place it almost exactly under the coastal town of Petit-Goâve. A UN representative reported that the aftershock collapsed seven buildings in the town.[41] According to staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who had reached Petit-Goâve for the first time the day before the aftershock, the town was estimated to have lost 15% of its buildings, and was suffering the same shortages of supplies and medical care as the capital.[42] Workers from the charity Save the Children reported hearing "already weakened structures collapsing" in Port-au-Prince,[38] but most sources reported no further significant damage to infrastructure in the city. Further casualties are thought to have been minimal since people had been sleeping in the open