Hazards - Haiti Earthquake

Question 1

Background information

1) What was the magnitude?
2) What was the total deaths?
3) How many were injured?
4) How many people got homeless?
5) What was the total cost?

Answer 1

1) Magnitude - 7.0
2) Total deaths were 230,000
3) 500.000 were injured
4) 1.5 million got homeless
5) Total cost - $11.5 billion

Question 2

What were the immediate impacts? (6)

Answer 2

• Ports and major communication links were damaged, making the aid difficult.
• Rubble buildings blocked of roads
• Port Au Prince (the capital) suffered major damage of 250,000 homes and 30,000 commercial buildings, and presidential buildings collapsed.
• 5,000 school buildings collapsed
• Infrastructure was badly damaged like water, electricity
• Aftershocks caused further buldings collapse.

Question 3

What are the immediate responses? (7)

Answer 3

• People had to dig each other out by hand until aid arrived from the Dominican Republic
• Many countries deployed search and rescue teams including the UK and Iceland.
• Charities attempted to distribute food, water and temporary shelters.
• Poeple from around the world donated money to the charity appeals
• Red Cross and other countries set up temporary field hospitals and started to treat the injured.
• The UN sent people to help distribute aid
• DEC raised over £100 m which was used to provide people with medical care, water and sanitation.