A day after the earthquake hit Haiti on 12 January a small team of scientists have been working on analyzing the earthquake and trying to predict the likelihood of aftershocks.
This team has now been formalized under the United Nations as a long-term joint Haitian national and international taskforce to analyze the earthquake and to provide advice to the local government and public in order to reduce ongoing risks and to help guide the recovery process.
More than 30 scientists and 10 organizations from 5 countries are involved in the taskforce, which is expected to grow under the new mandate.
Their first report, an authoritative analysis of the event and a preliminary forecast of the risk of another earthquake, is expected in mid-February. A second report, assessing how more reliable seismic data can be collected in the region, is expected by 1 April.
Paul Guinnessy
Related links The Haiti earthquake Haiti likely to suffer more aftershock tremors More science from the Haiti earthquake
