Port-au-Prince earthquake, Haiti 2010

Question 1

What caused the 2010 earthquake

Answer 1

In 2008 scientists discovered that based on the average movement of 7mm since the last earthquake of 1751, it was found that the plates were jammed.

Question 2

The origin

Answer 2

The epicentre was 24km south-west of the capital Port-au-Prince with a shallow focus of 13km. This created a magnitude 7 earthquake.

Question 3

Primary effects

Answer 3

Much of Port-au-Prince was flattened in less than 60 seconds. Over 230 000 lives were lost.

50% of the densely packed and poorly built concrete buildings collapsed, including key government buildings.

Over 180000 homes were damaged and 1.5m homeless.

Over 600000 people left Port-au-Prince to live with host families.

Infrastructure was severely damaged with the main roads being cracked and blocked.

Question 4

Secondary effects

Answer 4

Strong aftershocks were recorded, including a 6.1 magnitude earthquake on January 20th.

The Government was crippled

With the devastation of the police force and destruction of the main prison, the city became lawless.

After 1 year cholera had killed over 1500 and 1.5 million people were still homeless.

Question 5

Short term responses

Answer 5

Rescue efforts - international search teams struggled within the dense and congested urban environment.

Infrastructure - in Port-au-Prince the US military took control of the airport to speed up the distribution of aid.

16 000 UN troops and police took control of the population to restore law and order.

Food - In absence of local food markets the UN provided basic food necessities.

The UK disaster committee provided bottled water and purification tablets for 250 000 people.

Around 1.5 million homeless people were accommodated in over 1100 camps.

Question 6

Long term responses

Answer 6

The Haiti relief fund manages a $11.5 billion reconstruction package.

The farming sector was reformed to encourage greater self-sufficiency and less reliance on food imports.

Buildings such as schools, hospitals and government buildings were rebuilt to new life-safe building codes.

Economic activities were moved away from Port-au-Prince to less earthquake prone areas.