Tectonics - Case Studies

Question 1

Can you list some key points of the Haiti Earthquake?

Answer 1

Try to remember a couple of these facts: (This is not an exhaustive list)
- 12 January 2010
- 7.0 magnitude
- The focus was only 12.87 km deep and the epicentre was just 25.75 km from the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Question 2

Can you identify any primary impacts of the Haiti earthquake?

Answer 2

Try to remember a couple of these facts: (This is not an exhaustive list)
- 220,000 people were killed.
- 300,000 people were injured.
- Main port badly damaged.
- 8 hospitals collapsed
- 1/3 of the capital city was completely destroyed.
- 1.3 million homeless.

Question 3

Can you identify any secondary impacts of the Haiti earthquake?

Answer 3

Try to remember a couple of these facts: (This is not an exhaustive list)
- 2 million people left without food and water.
- Frequent power cuts
- Crime increased - looting became a problem and sexual violence escalated.
- People moved into temporary shelters.
- By November 2010 there were outbreaks of cholera = 8000 further deaths

Question 4

What factors made Haiti vulnerable to tectonic events?

Answer 4

Try to remember a couple of these facts: (This is not an exhaustive list)
- Long history corrupt/poor governance at both a national and local level
- In a hurricane belt (lots of losses in 2008 - still not recovered before the earthquake)
- Shortage of trained medical professionals
-Lack of earthquake preparedness/disaster response awareness
- Many services, provided by NGOs and UN
- Seismically active region
- Poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 70% live on less than $2/day
- Poor urban planning, water and electricity supply (no land registry)