HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

January 11, 2012. Magnitude 4.1 earthquake hits Christchurch, scientists formulating new prediction model

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck Christchurch in the early morning hours of January 10th, according to news reports. The epicenter was located 20km (12.5 miles) northeast of Lyttelton at a depth of 10km (6.25 miles).

In September 2010, a strong earthquake triggered thousands of subsequent temblors that scientists initially thought would last for a year or two. According to a local press release, approximately 100 scientists from around the world are helping create a newer, better model for predicting earthquakes in Canterbury, taking into account the thousands of shakes in the past 15 months and are likely to continue for the next 30 years. However, most of the seismic energy directly beneath Christchurch has supposedly been released, which decreases the risk of a large earthquake in the city.