Haiti Earthquake Flashcards
When did the Haiti earthquake occur?
12th January 2010
Why did an earthquake hit Haiti?
Haiti sits on a destructive plate margin between the Caribbean and North American plates
What was the magnitude of the earthquake?
7.0 on the Richter scale
Which city was the epicentre of the earthquake close to?
Port-au-Prince
How many people were killed and injured? (Primary effect)
220,000 people killed and 300,000 people injured
What was the impact on infrastructure? (Primary effect)
The main port was destroyed
The airport was damaged
100,000 houses were destroyed and 200,000 houses were damaged
Eight hospitals collapsed
How many people were made homeless? (Primary effect)
1.3 million people were made homeless
What were the main Secondary effects of the earthquake?
2 million people left without food and water
Crime and looting increased as people became more desperate
Outbreaks of cholera due to poor sanitation and lack of drinking water
What were the key short term responses?
Critical aid was slow to arrive due to the damaged port
USA sent rescue teams and 10,000 troops
Bottled water and purification tablets were provided
235,000 people were moved from Port-au-Prince to less damaged cities and towns
The UK government donated £20m
What were the key long term responses?
Haiti has become dependant on overseas aid
Now homes have been built to a higher standard but this has taken a long time
After one year, over 1 million people were still living in temporary shelters
The port needed rebuilding which required significant investment
