Haiti Earthquake

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

Haiti is located in the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in Central America
. The Dominican Republic to the east of Haiti (half of island)
. Cuba and Jamaica to the east and the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands to the south.
. Haiti is between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Question 2

Plates

Answer 2

. Boundary of the Caribbean and North American plates
. Port Au Prince on a fault line running off the Puerto Rico Trench, where the North American Plate is sliding under the Caribbean plate
. Caribbean plate sliding east
. Gonvave platelet north of fault was sliding west

Question 3

Event

Answer 3

. January 12th 2010
. Epicentre southwest of Port Au Prince
. Shallow earthquake of only 10-15km below surface
. 7 on Richter scale

Question 4

Wealth

Answer 4

. Poorest in Western Hemisphere - GDP of only $1,200 per person making it 207th in world
. 9.7 mil population, 80% below poverty line
. Few earthquake resistant buildings
. For several decades prior Haiti was unaffected by earthquakes

Question 5

Primary effects

Answer 5

. 3 million people were affected with over 220,000 deaths and 300,000 injured
. 100,000 houses were destroyed, 1.3 mil became homeless
. 8 hospitals collapsed
. 80% of school damaged

. 30,000 commercial buildings collapsed
. 60% of the nation’s administrative and economic infrastructure was lost
. Damage to the main clothing industry which accounts for two thirds of Haiti’s exports
. Liquefaction lead to warehouse collapse

. More than 180 government buildings and 13 out of 15 key government offices collapsed, including the presidential palace and parliament

Question 6

Secondary effects

Answer 6

. Overall loses and damages = $7 billion - $14 bill
. Power supplies damaged

. Crime increased with looting + sexual violence
. People in shelters + slept on streets
. November 2010 = cholera outbreak
. 2 mil without food and water
. Main road to Port Au Prince was blocked for 10 days so aid was delayed

. Leadership vacuum

Question 7

Preparation

Answer 7

. No seismic network
. Few seismologists
. Only had one seismic hazard map but was outdated
. Outdated building code

Question 8

Short term response

Answer 8

. DR gave water and medical supplies 
. Temporary field hospitals set up by Red CRoss
. GIS provided satellite images of area
. People watched on telly and donated 
. UN sent troops and police to distribute aid
. Slow aid due to damaged port
. USA sent 10,000 troops
. 235,000 moved to less damaged cities 
. UK donated £20 mill
. Mass graves dug

Question 9

Long term

Answer 9

. New homes + schools built to higher standard
. After 1 year still 1,300 camps and over 1 mill in temporary shelters
. Camps had no electricity, running water or sewage disposal
. Cash for work set up to clear rubble
. 6 months after 98% of rubble remained
. EU gave $330 mil
. World Bank waived debt for 5 years
. Between 23 charities $1.1 bill had been raised but only 2% have bee released
. DR accepted some refugees
. Senegalese offered land in Senegal