Haiti 2010 Earthquake

Question 1

Time/ Duration

Answer 1

On January 12th 2010, at 16:53 local time

Question 2

Scale/ magnitude

Answer 2

7.0

Question 3

Location:

Answer 3

Epicentre:
. 16km southwest of Port au Prince. caused by a slip along an existing fault ( Enriquillo- Plantain Garden fault)

Tectonic location:
. Caribbean Plate, on a transform (conservative) plate boundary with the North American plate

The Dominican Republic borders Haiti on the Eastern side of the Island.

Question 4

Physical causes

Answer 4

. The epicentre and focus where so close to the surface of Port-au-Prince

. Huge amount of tension built up since there hasn’t been a significant earthquake in the area in over 240 years ( this was a concentrated strike slip fault)

The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth- seismic waves travelled a shorter distance sending shock waves which maintains more energy

Question 5

Human causes

Answer 5

. People do not wish to leave their friends and family- it’s often cheaper and easier to stay, especially when the risks may not be perceived as dangerous enough/ residents are in denial that a disaster may occur. Because of this, it increases the population density of the area therefore the death tolls increased( fatalistic approach )

Aid has been piling up at the airport due to a lack of trucks and people to distribute it. Water and food have taken days to arrive, and there is not enough to go around

Shortage of doctors and many people have died of injuries like broken limbs

Question 6

Economic impacts (3)-(2)

Answer 6

Short term:
. Shops and businesses were destroyed
. Damaged transport and communication links also made international trade hard
. Haiti’s agricultural industries were destroyed in the earthquake, resulting in unemployment

Longterm:

. Haiti’s primary exports such as mangoes and coffee saw a large drop off

. the total damage was estimated at $7.8 billion

Question 7

Social impacts (5)-(3)

Answer 7

Short term:
. 316,000 deaths
. 300,000 injured
. 1.3 million homeless
. Many government buildings including the Presidential Palace were destroyed
. 200,000 homes were damaged

Long term:
. There were cholera outbreaks
. Many dead bodies in the streets under rubble created a health hazard in the heat, so many had to be buried in mass graves

Question 8

Environmental impacts:(2)-(1)

Answer 8

Short term:
. Fires were spread due to gas pipe explosions and broken electricity cables- the fire damaged woodland
. Small scale pollution by the leakage of oil and other chemicals into the surrounding environment

Long term:
. The earthquake also triggered flooding in coastal areas due to strong waves

Question 9

Immediate response (2)

Answer 9

. Social networking organisations such as Twitter and Facebook spread messages

. The American Red Cross set a record for mobile donations, raising $7 million in 24 hours and they allowed people to send $10 donations by text messages

Question 10

Long term responses (3)

Answer 10

. The British government found 192 doctors, 576 nurses, and 200 support staff to set up 16 major cholera treatment units

. DFID ( Department for International development) contributing £ 2,000,000 to reduce Haiti’s Vulnerability to future natural disaster

. More homes were built to higher standards

Question 11

Why was the death toll so high? (5)

Answer 11

.The earthquake struck the most densely populated area of the country.

. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere

. The buildings in Port-Au-Prince and other areas of Haiti were generally in poor condition and were not designed or constructed to be earthquake-resistant.

. Rescue teams from around the world took up to 48 hours to arrive in Haiti due to the problems at the airport therefore local people have had to use their bare hands to try and dig people out of the rubble

. aid had been piling up at the airport due to a lack of trucks and people to distribute it. Water and food have taken days to arrive, and there is not enough to go around.