Case Study Haiti Earthquake

Question 1

Where?

Answer 1

Port au Prince, capital of Haiti

Question 2

Date?

Answer 2

12th January 2010 (16:53)

Question 3

Richter Scale?

Answer 3

7.0

Question 4

Aftershocks and scale?

Answer 4

52 aftershocks measuring > 4.5

Question 5

Other background info?

Answer 5

Quite shallow, epicentre near capital

Question 6

Causes?

Answer 6

Conservative plate boundary between Caribbean and North American plate, sudden movement 13km below and shock waves radiate out of epicentre at Leogane, 17km west of capital

Question 7

Deaths?

Answer 7

230,000 killed

Question 8

Secondary: homelessness?

Answer 8

1 million homeless no most still living in temporary camps with no running water, electricity or sewage disposal

Question 9

Primary: people killed?

Answer 9

Many killed including government officials and public figures so lack of leadership and also people killed by poor construction of buildings

Question 10

Primary: buildings?

Answer 10

250,000 residences collapsed/damaged: inc. presidential palace, very poorly constructed and not earthquake proof

Question 11

Secondary: aftershocks?

Answer 11

52 aftershocks > 4.5 caused buildings weakened by earthquake to collapse

Question 12

Primary: infrastructure?

Answer 12

30,000 commercial buildings collapsed/damaged also the port, airport and so economic activity grounded to a halt in both capital and country

Question 13

Primary: stealing?

Answer 13

Looting reported due to slow distribution of resources, made worse by break down of government and lack of authority

Question 14

Primary: street environment?

Answer 14

Bodies on street and within days city’s morgue facilities overwhelmed and bodies stacking up in streets in equatorial heat begin to smell and decompose

Question 15

Secondary: economic development?

Answer 15

Growth in recent years undone, GDP growth rate of -8% in 2010 which was second to bottom in world ranking

Question 16

Secondary: cost of damage?

Answer 16

Around $10 billion which was more than country’s GDP in 2009 and other countries had to pay large amounts of it and therefor affecting their economy as well as the Haitian economy

Question 17

Secondary: diseases?

Answer 17

Cholera outbreak in October 2010 due to lack of sanitation, people forced to drink infected local river water, and this spread rapidly through crowded temporary camps

Question 18

Secondary: environmental?

Answer 18

6 months after quake 98% of rubble remained unmoved due to poorly coordinated government response

Question 19

Immediate response: international aid?

Answer 19

Huge and rapid global response with £20 million from the UK, money, aid worker, food and medical supplies sent, hover damage to government and transport network slowed arrival or aid workers and distribution of aid

Question 20

Immediate response: government control?

Answer 20

Government paralysed by destruction of presidential palace and loss of personnel and documents, aid not being distributed and US steps in to run country

Question 21

Long-term response: aid?

Answer 21

Aid decreases as some donors not following through on pledges and inflow of aid has slowed down due to other priorities such as Pakistan flood appeal

Question 22

Long-term response: government?

Answer 22

Remains ineffective: government claimed unable to focus on clearing rubble and rehousing refugees because had other priorities to minimise effect of summer hurricane season (100,000 still homeless in 2015)

Question 23

Sustainability: response?

Answer 23

Response was unsustainable though difficult to judge long-term as it was quite recent.

Question 24

Sustainable: people, economy and environment now?

Answer 24

No changes to ensure it can cope on its own once inflow of foreign aid and support stops, leaving people, environment and economy unprotected

Question 25

Sustainable: people, economy, environment in future?

Answer 25

No political changes or changes to building regulations to ensure this

Question 26

Response: projects?

Answer 26

MCC project gives money for schools in rural areas, built houses my provides clean piped water and supports farmers

Question 27

Response: donations other than money?

Answer 27

People donate seeds to grow crops