Case Study: Haiti Jan 2010

Where did it happen? Haiti is found on the island of Hispaniola in central Caribbean. It is the second largest island in the Caribbean and is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The island is on a conservative boundary between the North American plate and the Caribbean plate.

What happened? At 4:53pm on Tuesday 12th January 2010 an earthquake hit Haiti measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale. It occurred along the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system at a depth of 13km. Friction built up between the two plates. The earthquake occurred when the pressure was suddenly released. The epicentre was approximately 25km west of Port-au-Prince near the town of Léogâne. The shaking lasted for 30-40 seconds. After the earthquake 52 aftershocks were recorded.

Primary effects Secondary effects

Economic

25% of civil servants were killed in Port-au-Prince.

Transport and communication links were damaged

Government buildings destroyed. Port and airport control tower

damaged Roads damaged 90% of Port-au-Prince reduced to

rubble

Difficult for aid to get into the country.

Social

220,000 people were killed 300,000+ people were killed 118,383 houses were damaged 105,000 houses were destroyed 1.5 million people were homeless 4000 schools damaged or destroyed Prison damaged, 4000 inmates

escaped.

Morgues were full and bodies piled up in the streets and had to be buried in mass graves.

Outbreak of cholera. By July 2011 5,899 people had died and 216,00 were infected.

Looting in Port-au-Prince. 1 million people still displaced one

year after the earthquake.

Immediate responses Long term responses $100 million in aid given by USA and

$330 million by the EU 810,000 people placed in aid camps 115,000 tents and 1,000,000+ tarpaulin

shelters provided. Health care supplies provided 4.3 million people provided with food

rations in the weeks following the earthquake.

EU gave $330 million and the World Bank waived Haiti’s debt for 5 years

The Senegalese offered land in Senegal to any Haitians who wanted it.

1.6 million people in relief camps with no transitional housing being built.

The Dominican Republic offered support and accepted some refugees.

USA took charge of aid distribution.

How was the hazard managed? The earthquake was not well managed. There was no preparation for the earthquake. There were no building regulations that made buildings earthquake proof and people did not know what to do in case of an earthquake. In addition, the government buildings were destroyed which meant that the main place for coordination was lost and they missed to crucial first 48 hours for rescue efforts.

Why was the death toll so high? The death toll was so high because of the buildings. Most buildings in Port-au-Prince had no corner supports to make them stronger. This meant that when there was intense shaking the support columns collapsed in an effect called pancaking where all the floors of the building collapse on top of each other. Also the government buildings were destroyed so a base for coordination of aid was lost and they missed the first 48 hour window for rescuing people which meant that the death toll was higher. The sheer amount of rubble in roads also meant that it was more difficult for aid to get to people