7.0 Earthquake in Haiti

Yesterday Haiti suffered a 7.0 earthquake which appears to have devastated huge sections of its capital city, Port-au-Prince. Although Haiti is considered one of the poorest countries on earth, both its rich and poor have been randomly victimized in this earthquake. The reports on CNN last night reported that most of the buildings are made out of concrete in a sort of poor man's attempt at trying to withstand the many Hurricanes that hit the region. Un-reinforced concrete is considered the most deadly material to build with in an earthquake region as it is not flexible and, of course, is very heavy when it falls. The devastation looks enormous. Supposedly the roads into town are damaged which will make rescue efforts extremely difficult.

Many of the news reports say that Haiti hasn't had an earthquake this big in 200 years but other reports have said that the island country suffered two much bigger earthquakes in 1946, 8.0 or 8.1,and then the 7.6 aftershock back in Aug. 1946 on the 4th (17.51 UTC) and then on the 8 (13:28 UTC). The epicenter for the 1946 quakes was in the neighboring country, Dominican Republic. There is a major fault line running through the bottom portion of Haiti.

Interesting that back in 1946 Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune were all in the same sign of Libra together. They were not within orb of a conjunction at the time of the earthquakes in the region. Currently the same planets are in conjunction in a different air sign, Aquarius. Perhaps there is a reason why this is, probably it's just coincidence. I'm including a couple of quick observations down at the bottom of Haiti's chart but nothing related to this.

Yesterday's earthquake:

Haiti Earthquake 7.0
Jan. 12, 2000 4:53 pm 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince

Sun 23 Capricorn; Moon 27 Sagittarius; ASC 15 Cancer; NN 22 Capricorn; 9 Aries

Uranus stands out in this chart as most elevated planet and also as a singleton (water), but he is not ruling any of the angles here as I have come to expect of earthquake charts. He is also not on an angle. So, his prominence in earthquake charts isn't reliable. Uranus always has to throw a curve ball with the unexpected.

Pluto, planet of crisis, is not, as far as I can see, very prominent at all with regards to house placement. With this level of damage I'd expect him to be related to a resource house, perhaps. He is, however, squaring Saturn, and these two working together is thought to cause great losses and grief. (I've just read over at the astro.com forum that there was a Saturn-Pluto square in the big Northridge Earthquake (for reference)).

Saturn's presence in this chart is very prominent. He is conjunct the IC/Angle/important section of the chart related to anything having to do with home/land.

The biggest stand-outs here seem to be the Cardinal Sign prominence in the chart; the prominence of the Nodal Axis crossing the H1-H7 Axis and in conjunction with the Sun. And the fact that this is occurring between two Cardinal Sign Eclipses which are themselves sandwiched between two Cardinal Sign Eclipse sets doesn't hurt either.

Interesting that Cancer is rising in this chart same as the Ferndale-Eureka earthquake which struck in California on Saturday. The orb difference of the rising sign for both charts is 2 degrees. This means that the Moon rules both charts. Moon in Scorpio (H5) for California quake and in Sagittarius for Haiti quake).

Both Charts have the Nodal Axis crossing the angles of the H1-H7 cusps. As a matter of fact they are very similar except for the placement of the Moon. The first astrological signature of earthquakes that I was ever told about was that the Nodal Axis tends to be prominent in earthquake charts. The Nodal Axis here is in Cardinal Signs, is on the angles (a Cardinal thing) and is conjunct the Sun and ruler of the 4th House. The North Node disposits to a planet (SAturn) which is conjunct the IC.

As said before both charts have Saturn on the IC. In Haiti's case, Saturn is stationing Retrograde which might in some way indicate the extreme devastation. The California Earthquake hit in a less populated place. The Haiti earthquake hit in an extremely populated place.

Trying to read the Saturn influence in the Haiti earthquake chart is revealing. In political terms, Saturn rules Government and the President. Government Buildings, even the Capital Building have fallen down. The President himself is a Capricorn. Haiti is going through a Saturn Return. Saturn in the 4th House is opposite the house which it rules which is one of its least comfortable spots. This is the bottom of the chart. Often this will indicate a need to build new foundations. The Cardinal Sign emphasis wants to start new things, it doesn't want to reconstruct or recycle what's already there. Saturn is cold and practical and brings these needs into focus in a harsh Saturnian way. Saturn also probably rules Concrete, haven't looked it up really so don't know.

I have to say, though, I wish I could find an obvious Pluto emphasis here and I can't. Whole neighborhoods seem to have fallen down like a house of cards so perhaps this was just not Plutonian territory. On the news last night it was reported that this earthquake was so severe because it happened very close to the ground surface, about 5 miles down, and this can cause more damage on earth. Pluto likes to wreck things from the depths so maybe he figured that Saturn could do this on his own (I'm being grim and facetious here). Pluto is in Saturn's sign right now after all.

The Sun-NN is also in conjunction with Venus. I couldn't figure out how that could possibly be important in Saturday's earthquake in California, but now I realize that Venus is very important in these charts because she rules the IC. Also, she is in mutual reception with Saturn which is conjunct the IC. Venus is the great energy link between the Sun-NN conjunction and the 4th House in the charts of these two earthquakes.

The rulers of the angles:
Chart Ruler/H1: Moon;
IC Ruler: Venus;
DESC Ruler: Saturn;
MC Ruler: Mars.

Saturn is just stationing Retrograde in this chart. When planets are just beginning to station in one direction or another their energy is thought to sort of jam up and become prominent. Remember that the Sun-NN conjunction and Venus and Mercury Rx are all dispositing to this Saturn as well.

Mercury and Mars are also both Rx. Mercury is conjunct Pluto in H6 squaring Saturn/IC. Mars rules the MC and is placed in the H2 of material possessions. Mars is lead planet of a locomotor chart. Mars is in Leo so also disposes to the Sun which is conjunct the NN and the ruler of the IC.

So, Cardinal Sign energy really stands out in this chart. Cardinal Signs rule the angles. There is an off again on again t-square between Saturn-Uranus-Pluto which is going to peak in Cardinal Signs this Summer, a very destructive energy both socially and materially.

Interesting to look at Haiti's natal chart. There are some amazing connections that show that Haiti was due to make a huge change at this time. Since the land existed before Haiti was incorporated I tend not to link the two easily in my mind. But, obviously the country is at a major turning point. Or starting point.

So please pray to get these people through this awful tragedy as swiftly and with least amount of pain possible. And pray for the Philippinos, as well, who have been going through similar pain but haven't received much attention. Hey Philippinos, I've been following this stuff, but can't make any sense of the charts yet. You are complicated people.

Here's a couple of findings about Haiti. According to Wikipedia Haiti was founded May 13, 1856. Incorporated Apr. 18, 1856. Reincorporated Feb. 19, 1874. I looked at the reincorporated chart because frankly I thought it would have an Aquarius Sun and I'm still trying to find the Uranus connection. Nope, it's not there, 1 Pisces Sun.

Pretty incredible that this chart has a Saturn-Uranus opposition and a Sun-Venus conjunction. These transits are currently mirrored in the present sky (Saturn-Uranus conjunction is not technically within orb right now).

I've discussed endless times how Saturn-Uranus can be connected to earthquakes.

This Saturn-Uranus opposition squares Haiti's Taurus North Node in the reincorporation chart. This aspect certainly describes the civil unrest that the country has gone through. It also describes the destructive weather patterns, the hurricanes of 2008, which keep the country from being able to build. By coincidence, Haiti's Saturn-Uranus opposition is prominent in the natal chart because it squares the country's Nodal Axis. The Nodal Axis rules Destiny.

Another incredible aspect to look at right now is the Progressed Sun for Haiti which is at 14 Cancer. This is conjunct the Ascendant of the earthquake chart along with the South Node.

This also means that the Solar Arc Sun-Venus conjunction is opposing itself for Haiti.

And, right now prog. Mercury and prog. Venus are right on top of Haiti's natal Uranus setting off the Saturn-Uranus opposition.

Very interesting that the current President, Rene Preval, is a Capricorn Sun with a Saturn-Uranus conjunction in Gemini. He actually has an out of sign Grand Trine between Sun 27 Capricorn trine Uranus 1 Gemini trine Neptune 3 Libra.

And, look at the placement of that Neptune one more time. Saturn is passing over it so the Saturn-Uranus-Pluto t-square is hitting it. This guy is having one Hell of a Solar Return this month. Both the Palace and his personal home apparently have been destroyed and he is sleeping at the airport. The transiting Chiron-Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is passing over his South Node in Aquarius. Another way to interpret the Dirigible metaphor that I've labeled this transit.

Rene Preval
b. Jan. 17, 1943 Marmelade, Cap-Haitien

Sun 27 Capricorn; Moon Gemini; NN 27 Leo




Sorry this is written sloppily. My blogger software is acting screwy.