HAITI EARTHQUAKE 2010 – CASE
STUDY.
Haiti is an island in the Caribbean. It is in the western part of the
island of Hispaniola. The eastern part of the island is the Dominican
Republic.
GDP per person: $1200. 54% pf people live in abject poverty. Andis
the poorest country in the northern hemisphere.
Number of people per doctor: 4000
Life expectancy: 62
Literacy rate: 52%
Haiti is situated at the northern end of the Caribbean Plate, on a transform (slip/conservative) plate
boundary with the North American Plate. It is a multihazard zone as it is also located in the middle of a
hurricane belt. Haitian locals are every aware of the risk of living in this environment due to multiple
di4erent hazards occurring e.g. January 2010 earthquake and hurricane Tomas later on in the year.
However, most of Haiti believe they have to adapt and deal with these events as they have very few other
choices. FATALIST ATTITUDE – but also frustration.
The North American plate is moving west. This movement is not smooth, and there is friction between the
North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. This led to an earthquake occurring on 12th January 2010,
measuring 7.0 ion the Richter scale. The focus was 13km deep and 25km west of Port-au-Prince (Haiti’s
capital). The main earthquake was followed by many aftershocks. They were looking to recover to better
than before after the earthquake- was more di4icult than anticipated.
PRIMARY IMPACTS
Approximately 230,000 people were killed, 300,000 people were injured and large areas of the city were
damaged- worst earthquake in more than 200 years. 90% of buildings in the capital were destroyed.
Losses and damages estimated at US$7.8 billion.
An estimated 1,000,000 were made homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000
commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. The government was left severely
disabled: 13/15 of its ministry o4ices were destroyed which led to an uncoordinated response to the
earthquake and worsened the impacts significantly.
Half of Haiti’s schools and 3 main universities collapsed, along with hospitals.
An estimated 600,000 people evacuated to the countryside, which put strain on rural areas as nearly
90% of people in rural areas lived on less than $2 a day.
The main prison in Port-au-Prince wad destroyed, leading to 4,000 inmates escaping.
SECONDARY IMPACTS
Two million people were left without water and food.
Roads were blocked with debris and road surfaces were broken. The main road linking Port-au-
Prince with Jacmel was blocked for 10 days after the earthquake, hampering delivery of aid to
Jacmel.
8 aftershocks were recorded in the 2 hours after the original quake, had magnitudes of 4.3 and 5.9.
by January 24th 52 aftershocks had been measured.
Regular power cuts occurred.
STUDY.
Haiti is an island in the Caribbean. It is in the western part of the
island of Hispaniola. The eastern part of the island is the Dominican
Republic.
GDP per person: $1200. 54% pf people live in abject poverty. Andis
the poorest country in the northern hemisphere.
Number of people per doctor: 4000
Life expectancy: 62
Literacy rate: 52%
Haiti is situated at the northern end of the Caribbean Plate, on a transform (slip/conservative) plate
boundary with the North American Plate. It is a multihazard zone as it is also located in the middle of a
hurricane belt. Haitian locals are every aware of the risk of living in this environment due to multiple
di4erent hazards occurring e.g. January 2010 earthquake and hurricane Tomas later on in the year.
However, most of Haiti believe they have to adapt and deal with these events as they have very few other
choices. FATALIST ATTITUDE – but also frustration.
The North American plate is moving west. This movement is not smooth, and there is friction between the
North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. This led to an earthquake occurring on 12th January 2010,
measuring 7.0 ion the Richter scale. The focus was 13km deep and 25km west of Port-au-Prince (Haiti’s
capital). The main earthquake was followed by many aftershocks. They were looking to recover to better
than before after the earthquake- was more di4icult than anticipated.
PRIMARY IMPACTS
Approximately 230,000 people were killed, 300,000 people were injured and large areas of the city were
damaged- worst earthquake in more than 200 years. 90% of buildings in the capital were destroyed.
Losses and damages estimated at US$7.8 billion.
An estimated 1,000,000 were made homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000
commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. The government was left severely
disabled: 13/15 of its ministry o4ices were destroyed which led to an uncoordinated response to the
earthquake and worsened the impacts significantly.
Half of Haiti’s schools and 3 main universities collapsed, along with hospitals.
An estimated 600,000 people evacuated to the countryside, which put strain on rural areas as nearly
90% of people in rural areas lived on less than $2 a day.
The main prison in Port-au-Prince wad destroyed, leading to 4,000 inmates escaping.
SECONDARY IMPACTS
Two million people were left without water and food.
Roads were blocked with debris and road surfaces were broken. The main road linking Port-au-
Prince with Jacmel was blocked for 10 days after the earthquake, hampering delivery of aid to
Jacmel.
8 aftershocks were recorded in the 2 hours after the original quake, had magnitudes of 4.3 and 5.9.
by January 24th 52 aftershocks had been measured.
Regular power cuts occurred.
