Earthquakes Case Study Flashcards
Short term impacts of the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti 2010
Short term impacts of Haiti 2010:
- Airports, Sea ports and roads were damaged. This meant aid supplies were prevented from being distributed to affected areas.
- Over a quarter of the government officials were killed and government buildings were destroyed making the government even less able to coordinate rescue missions and distribute aid.
- 316,000 people were killed and 1 million people were made homeless. 3 million people were affected by the earthquake
- 80% of the city was without electricity, however electricity was restored to the majority of the city after a few months.
- 250,000 homes and 30,000 other buildings, including the President’s Palace and 60% of government buildings, were either destroyed or badly damaged. The dense urban environment also made it a difficult place for rescue teams to work.
Long term impacts of the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti 2010
Long term impacts of Haiti 2010:
- 5 years after the earthquake 80,000 Haitians were still living in temporary housing.
- There was a chlorella outbreak which persisted from 2010 to 2016. This was due to a lack of medical workers and supplies. This resulted in over almost 10000 Haitians dying form cholera over the period.
- Spread more awareness of earthquakes
Short term impacts of the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand 2011
Short term impacts of New Zealand 2011:
- Schools closed for two weeks,
- 50% of buildings damaged,
- 181 killed and 2000 injured (injuries can often be recovered form although some might be life changing)
water contaminated, - $28 billion of damage in total - some will be short term shocks but some of this will have long term implications for growth and may lead to collapse of businesses.
- The cathedral spire collapsed, roads and bridges destroyed and transport disrupted.
Long term impacts of the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand 2011
Long term impacts of New Zealand 2011:
- Businesses closed.
- 5 Rugby World Cup matches were cancelled.
- 20% of the population migrated from the city, meaning that the economy would further take a toll in the area making economic recovery even slower.
- Tourism temporarily stopped and 2 large aftershocks within 4 months.
- Dust created caused caused problems for those suffering from respiratory issues.
- Gave people Long term mental health implication - concern and increased fer of living in this location and for one who might have been brought up in it. Issues such as depression and PTSD can be life long limiting illnesses.
What were the short term responses to the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti 2010
Short term responses include:
- 4.3 million people provided with food rations in the weeks following the earthquake
- Harmful aid – thousands of NGO’s flooded the country with very little coordination by the local government.
- Lack of immediate aid through poor planning, management and access meant that people had to try and rescue each other (‘Self-help’).
What were the short term responses to the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand 2011
Short term responses include:
- Aid camps were set up to shelter those displaced. After a few weeks 810,000 people were housed.
- International aid was provided ($6-7 million) and aid workers were coordinated by the New Zealand government.
- The ‘Farmy Army’ was made up 800 farmers who brought their farm machines to help clean up the city.
- Chemical toilets were provided for 30,000 residents which limited the risk of untreated sewage and water-borne diseases.
- Most vulnerable people were prioritised and cared for by the local government as they had detailed records of the population.
- Temporary housing was provided and any damaged housing was kept water tight to limit further damage.
What were the long term responses to the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti 2010
Long term responses include:
- Housing programmes to build new housing and infrastructure to a higher standard so it is more resilient to future earthquakes
- Initiatives to help on a community level including disaster preparedness training, community organizing, and grassroots initiatives to empower local populations.
- Initiatives were also started to help stimulate economic growth and development such as creating jobs and promoting investment in key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing.
What were the long term responses to the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand 2011
Long term responses include:
- Roads and houses were cleared of silt from liquefaction by August 2011 (6 months on) and 80% of roads were repaired.
- Areas were zoned (green, orange, white, red) to classify damage/cost of repairs. Green zone = could be built on again. Orange Zone = more checks needed. White Zone = not checked yet. Red zones were very unstable = building on it safely would be difficult.
- Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority was created to organise the rebuild of the region. It had special powers to change planning laws and regulations and codes were strictly adhered to.
