Haitian Earthquake

Question 1

When and where did THE Haitian Earthquake take place?

Answer 1

January 12, 2010, int the Caribbean Sea 15 miles southwest of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

Question 2

How devastating was the Haitian earthquake?

Answer 2

Whilst it registered a 7.0 on the Richter scale, Haiti, as a country with only $7 billion GDP, had very poor infrastructure, meaning the earthquake caused widespread destruction and had a death toll of ~316,000, with even more injured and displaced, measuring an X on the Mercalli scale.

Question 3

What caused the Haitian earthquake?

Answer 3

The complex meeting of the North American and Caribbean Plates.

Question 4

What were the primary impacts of the Haitian earthquake?

Answer 4

• It triggered landslides in several areas, causing additional damage and loss of life.
• Many buildings and structures were unable to withstand the shaking, due to the poor construction standards and lack of earthquake-resistant structures, leading to their collapse.
• Approximately 1.5 million people were left without homes and other basic necessities.
• The Haitian government reported ~3,000,000 people were affected by the earthquake in total.

Question 5

What were the secondary impacts of the Haitian earthquake?

Answer 5

• Two million people were left without water and/or food.
• Power cuts in and around the affected area occurred regularly.
• By November 2010, there were outbreaks of cholera.
• There was a drastic increase in crime, with looting and sexual violence becoming a problem.

Question 6

What were the short-term responses to the Haitian earthquake?

Answer 6

• The USA sent several rescue teams and 10,000 troops to the affected areas.
• Several temporary homes were built after the quake, which over one million people still lived in one year after the earthquake.

Question 7

What were the long-term responses to the Haitian earthquake?

Answer 7

• New homes were built, this time to a higher standard.
• Water and sanitation was provided for 1.7 million in the affected areas.
• NGO provides disaster response education to 116,000 Haitians, which is especially helpful considering Haiti’s location in close proximity to plate boundaries.