Haiti Earthquake 2010 Case Study

Question 1

When did the earthquake occur?

Answer 1

12th January 2010 at 16:53

Question 2

What was the magnitude?

Answer 2

7.0

Question 3

Where was the epicentre?

Answer 3

25 miles west of Port-au-Prince

Question 4

How deep was the hypocentre?

Answer 4

10-15km deep

Question 5

What was the population of Port-au-Prince?

Answer 5

2 million people

Question 6

What % of Haiti’s population lived below the poverty line?

Answer 6

80%

Question 7

What % of people were illiterate?

Answer 7

53%

Question 8

What other factors affected vulnerability?

Answer 8

• Epicentre close to most populated city
• Port-au-Prince built on unstable soil which amplified seismic waves, causing intense shaking and liquefaction
  -High poverty and low education
  -Poor building quality
  -Lack of resources

Question 9

How many were affected?

Answer 9

3 million

Question 10

How many died and were injured?

Answer 10

220 000 deaths
300 000 injured

Question 11

How many were made homeless?

Answer 11

1.3 million

Question 12

When was the cholera epidemic? How many people were affected and died?

Answer 12

2015
Affected 720 000 people
9000 died

Question 13

How many commercial buildings collapsed?

Answer 13

30 000

Question 14

What other economic impacts were felt?

Answer 14

• Businesses destroyed
• Main clothing industry damaged
• Airports and ports damaged
  -Less trade and less foreign aid

Question 15

How many were still in temporary housing by 2015?

Answer 15

80 000

Question 16

How much aid had been donated? Who did this remain in the hands of?

Answer 16

$13 billion
Hands of international organisations due to corruption

Question 17

What % of aid did the Haitian government hold?

Answer 17

10%