7.3 earthquake hits Haiti

[uksimonusa]

Any word on why they didn't make it there today?

 

probably the same reason we could get there 2 weeks ago, the swells were to high, they would have pushed the ship into the dock, there was rumours on our cruise that Oasis, the day before boke her mooring lines the swells were so strong,

[mamaofami]

Just heard on the news that there are 15 cruise ships in the area.

[bluegirlum]

According to a friend onboard, Freedom did not make labadee today, for the 2nd time this year

 

Wow. What are the odds? That could be a real blessing in disguise for those folks, even though it doesn't seem that Labadee was hit.

[JSnow789]

I'm sailing on Liberty on Sunday on a private charter. We are scheduled to go to Labadee on Tuesday but I'm guessing we will get a Sea Day.

 

Also-while the epicenter was 100+ miles away, the infrastructure of the entire country has been devastated. There are going to be casualties-a lot of them and all the people that work in Labadee are going to be impacted by this event. Things like this, when they occur in the undeveloped world, are always terrible events. Thoughts and prayers to everyone there.

[bajathree]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/world/americas/13haiti.html

[SomeBeach]

The news is reporting now about a school that collapsed over a year ago. The school was built with such brittle concrete that the upper level collapsed onto the lower level.

It is suspected that the dust cloud that hung over the area for at least 20 minutes is from poor quality concrete used for their buildings.

 

The third aftershock is now reported to have been 4.8.

[arizonaperson]

I am in Nassau,Bahamas right now. 2 ships in port- a RCI and a Carnival.

Calm here at the moment.

[bluegirlum]

I am in Nassau,Bahamas right now. 2 ships in port- a RCI and a Carnival.

Calm here at the moment.

 

Did you feel anything? They aren't reporting that the Bahamas felt anything.

[Desert Cruizers]

Our prayers go out to all affected. Living in So Calif we deal alot with quakes and know how frightening they can be especially to those having never gone thru one.

[abhb]

Dust from an earthquake is from everything (building, dirt, sand, trees etc) being moved with force. The dust from the LA earthquake in 1994 lasted more than a few hours.

[bajathree]

It is a bit ironic that RCCL just put up a new Labaddee video today on their Oasis site.

[Parkay]

Oh my, hope everyone is ok. I'm from the land of earthquakes, but Im sure for tourist that arn't used to them, that would be scary!

 

A 7.3 would be scary even for those of us who are used to them.

[bluegirlum]

CC's tweet from two hours ago says that RCI spokesman said that Labadee hasn't reported any damage.

[G'ma]

It doesnt matter with a 7.0 - when it is only 10 miles away. Sounds like a hospital did collapse and they are all under tsunami warning...

 

It was only a tsunami alert...not a warning.

 

The time has passed for any effect now.

 

I feel bad for the people in that country. Thanks to decades of corrupt governments, it is the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. This is going to be a very bad time for the Haitian people.....

[aqhacruiser]

This is a terrible disaster for one of the poorest countries in the world and my prayers are with the people and all rescue workers on their way to Haiti who are in the process of responding now.

[janetz]

My dd has gone to Haiti to teach english a couple of times with a group from our area called the Haiti Plunge. She has made many friends there and this is such a heartbreak...:( So sad.

[cruise77]

I have five cabins on Freedom, families calling scared, I called Royal and they did not go to Labadee, everyone is safe. Happened right before they arrived.

[Cuizer2]

Here is a link with some additional information ...

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cb_haiti_earthquake

[Seago2]

I have five cabins on Freedom, families calling scared, I called Royal and they did not go to Labadee, everyone is safe. Happened right before they arrived.

 

Thank God.

[slyfox0113]

I know it sounds crazy but my friend's daughter is cruising in that area and she has no idea what ship she is on. Anyone have any idea what line would have been in Haiti today. Any ideas on how she can find out if her daughter is ok

[Reijo]

Quake was felt over 300 miles away. My daughter-in-law just left the Turks and Caicos yesterday, thank goodness. Communication there is down so most likely planes can't get in or out. However, if there is substantial damage in Haiti and it is so close to Labadee it seems that Freedom could be affected. Tsunami warning has been cancelled in most places.

[Sue L]

I have five cabins on Freedom, families calling scared, I called Royal and they did not go to Labadee, everyone is safe. Happened right before they arrived.

 

 

Freedom didn't go to Labadee today according to others who know people on board. The earthquake happened late in the afternoon so it would have been AFTER they left or were leaving if they had gotten there.

[Tim,n,Sue]

I know it sounds crazy but my friend's daughter is cruising in that area and she has no idea what ship she is on. Anyone have any idea what line would have been in Haiti today. Any ideas on how she can find out if her daughter is ok

 

Just the Freedom according to the TT site. The Independence is the next ship due and that is on the 15th and as you know the Freedom did not make Labadee today.

[simplybob]

It would be nice if Freedom is in the area, if they could offload supplies to Haiti. I'm sure they could do without some water for a day or two.

 

Well, since Freedom makes so much freshwater that they can fill the pools with it, I think they could supply plenty and not miss a beat.:)

 

People already posted about the ship at sea not feeling the wave at sea. I'm trying to picture in my head exactly what it would do to such a massive ship in port. Wiki says the indonesian earthquake, a 9.3, generated up to a 100 foot wave at shore. The Haiti earthquake, a 7.3, is roughly 100 times smaller. I am NOT saying the tsunami would only be 1' tall, just not as much power behind it. Really, I think it would depend on the wave's angle of attack more than anything. Best case: it hits head on at the bow where it would cut through the wave as it would large waves at sea. Passengers are jolted, but the ship is likely not harmed. Dead astern is probably a close second, though I imagine there would be more forward motion to the ship, hopefully nothing is in the way. Sideways hit with wave on one side, pier on the other, This is the one I'm not sure about. Will the wave be high enough and wide enough to raise the ship up onto the pier? Or would the ship just raise high enough that when it came back down the bumpers would be out of position and allow for serious hull damage against the pier? Would the mooring lines prevent the ship from lifting and instead make the ship tip onto its side on the pier? Any way you slice it, you do not want to be on the ship when this happens.

[bobmacliberty]

I know it sounds crazy but my friend's daughter is cruising in that area and she has no idea what ship she is on. Anyone have any idea what line would have been in Haiti today. Any ideas on how she can find out if her daughter is ok

 

You can check which ships are in other ports in the area here:

http://cruisett.com/ports.php