Haiti- Contrasting case study

Question 1

Haiti fact file:

Answer 1

GDP Per Capita = $765
Literacy = 60%
Infant mortality = 43.9 / 1000 live births
Life expectancy = 63

Question 2

Characteristics of the earthquake in Haiti?

Answer 2

• Epicentre 24km south of Port Au Prince.
• Focus 10km down.
• Magnitude 7.

Question 3

Impact of the seismic event in Hati?

Answer 3

• 200,000 people dead.
• 300,000 people injured.
• 50% of buildings completely destroyed.
• 1.5 million people homeless.
• Parliament buildings destroyed so government left unable to help became a lawless society.

Question 4

Preparedness and responses to the 2010 event?

Answer 4

Preparedness:

• Nothing to prepare for the event.
• No earthquake proof buildings (even government)

Responses:

• Locals employed to find survivors and restore order.
• Aid sent but just stored in airport.
• 1100 emergency camps set up.

Question 5

Responses by governments and long term of the Hati seismic event?

Answer 5

Responses by governments:

• 16,000 UN troops sent in to restore law and order.
• 5,500 US troops and military ships sent in.
• DEC provided bottled water, latrines, doctors etc.

Long term responses:

• $11.5 billion aid, reconstruction complete by 2020.
• Increase in child trafficking as given away or sold due to expense.

Question 6

What have Hati done to mitigate from future events?

Answer 6

• Seismometers
• Farming sectors encouraged to produce food for country to stop relying on imports.
• Economic/political buildings built away from high risk zones.

Question 7

Has the political character of Haiti made the risks worse?

Answer 7

• Currently the poorest country in the western hemisphere, with 54% living in abject poverty.
• Its seismically active on a conservative plate margin between Gonave Micro plate and the Caribbean plate and lies in the middle of the hurricane belt.
• In a country blighted by political instability, corruption, poor infrastructure, social inequality, exclusion and unrest.