hazards

Question 1

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
stats

Answer 1

Pop.: 10.98 million
Life expectancy: 63
Literacy rate: 61%
% population below poverty line: 59%
Climate: tropical

Question 2

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
risk and vulnerability

Answer 2

96% percent of the population risks death from 2 or more hazards, the most common is hurricanes
Very politically unstable and poorly governed
The population is very youthful/young
Deforestation (85% of population rely on charcoal for their fuel and energy) - exposes slopes causes
more flooding and soil erosion

Question 3

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
nature of hazards

Answer 3

Hazards affecting Haiti (most to least common/risk):
Tropical Storms (hurricanes)
Flooding
Landslides
Drought
Earthquakes

Question 4

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
tropical storms

Answer 4

Risk of Atlantic Hurricanes June to October
2004 Hurricane Jeanne killed 3000
In 2008 Haiti was hit by 4 hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike, affecting 800,000
1963 Hurricane Flora killed 8,000

Question 5

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
flooding

Answer 5

Usually as a result of hurricanes
Ruins crops and cause food insecurity
Saturated ground increases landslide risk
May 2004 receive 17 consecutive hours of rain → flash flooding destroyed 100,000 home

Question 6

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
landslides

Answer 6

2010 earthquake triggered mass landslides
Country is relatively hilly and often has saturated soils due to hurricanes, increasing landslide risk

Question 7

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
drought

Answer 7

Periodic and random, usually November to May
Affect the northwest and south coast the most
Leads to food insecurity and famine as 68% of the population are subsistence farmers
Poor harvests and starvation between 2014 and 2016 due to drier conditions

Question 8

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
earthquakes

Answer 8

Have a very low return rate in Haiti, small ones every 60 years and large ones every 200 years
Risk of associated storm surges and Tsunamis
Haiti lies near the Caribbean-North American conservative plate boundary which moves 2cm

Question 9

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
risk to environment

Answer 9

Exposes slopes increased the risks from all hazards as trees stabilise soil helping it withstand the force
Deforestation has caused increased soil erosion
In 1980 25% of Haiti was covered in forest, but by 2004 it was only 1.4%
In 2004 a heavy hurricane season caused mud that took 3 years to clear up

Question 10

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
risk to economy

Answer 10

Hurricanes are greatest risk to economy→2008 hurricanes cost 15% of the Haiti’s GDP in damages
Most Haitians are farmers, so these hazards cause people to lose their source of food and income, leaving people reliant on NGOs and international Govs for food – after the 2004 hurricane season 70% of crops were destroyed and damages cost $1 billion
Haiti’s economic growth stagnated in 2015 as a result of massive political instability, corruption and drought

Question 11

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
risk to society

Answer 11

Pop. density highest in low-lying areas susceptible to flooding and landslides → high pop. density makes them vulnerable to spread of disease
Unstable ineffective gov. → high presence of UN peace keepers to prevent a civil war
Huge food insecurity → causes food prices to rise so people can’t afford to buy OR grow their food
2004 hurricanes affected 200,000 with food insecurity and severe malnutrition
Management: is short-term, focusses on recovery
Mitigation: long-term → reducing severity in the future

Question 12

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)
human qualities and haitis continuing occupation

Answer 12

Fatalism:
“what will be will be” – believe in Gods will
Poverty cycle means that people feel that there’s nothing they can do, heightened by massive political instability, people lack trust in the authorities due to lack of governance
Community resilience:
Communities work well to restore normality – after 2016 Hurricane Matthew it took just 2 weeks to restore phone networks and reopen schools. After 3 weeks, access to remote areas was restored
Unstable politics means people ignore warnings

Question 13

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)

responses and haitis continuing occupation

Answer 13

Management:
NGO’s (Oxfam, UN, MSF) provide basic services, govs. feel they don’t need to, the NGOs do it for them
In July 2016 WFP offered cash transfers in return for help on soil conservation projects, helping 160,000. At the same time $31 million was receives from the UN
After 2010 earthquake, MSF provided 28,600 tents and set up makeshift hospitals
The Disaster Emergency Committee raised £107 million
Mitigation:
Beginning to plan ahead for the inevitable future events to reduce the impacts they may have on the population
Seismic stations installed as well as a local seismologist
People often have an emergency it ready including food and water for 3 days, a torch, a radio and a first aid kit
Adaptation:
Afforestation of slopes→stabilise and reduce flood risk
Disaster risk education for all and educating women

Question 14

Haiti -a multi hazardous environment (LIC)