Haiti essay
With reference to a case study at a local scale of a specified place in a hazardous setting, evaluate
whether the severity of the impacts of a hazard(s) are determined more by the magnitude of the
hazard(s) or the social, economic and political character of the community. (20)
Yes, severity of impacts certainly due to magnitude of the hazard.
· 2010 earthquake – 7.0 magnitude, multiple aftershocks. Shallow focus (13km) and epicentre only
25km west of Port-au-Prince
· 160 000+ died. In areas of Port-au-Prince such as Carrefour, 40-50% of all building destroyed.
No – socio-economic characteristics of the area had a more significant impact on the high death toll.
· Eg social characteristics increased risk – 31.2% of the local population are under the age of 15.
Only 62% of local population in settlements like Port-au-Prince could read and write – poor levels of
education about what to do in an earthquake. Increased vulnerability of local population due to high
proportion of children.
· 60% live under poverty line.
· 2/5s depend on agriculture, many subsistence farmers, so particularly vulnerable to natural hazards.
· High numbers in slum conditions in districts like Carrefour, poorly built homes.
· Even in urban areas such as Carrefour, only an average of 63% have access to reliably energy
supplies – difficult for businesses to recover.
· Relief efforts hampered by damage or complete collapse to over 50 medical/health centre. Due to
poor building design.
· Politically – earthquake preparation had not been a priority – only had one seismometer in
Port-au-Prince.
Yes - magnitude important.
· Secondary effects such as landslides and liquefaction also linked to the size of the earthquake.
Significant proportion of the destruction in areas of steep relief like Carrefour ,not just due to the
seismic shaking but also secondary hazards generated by the 7.0 event. However, poor planning and
deforestation are also likely to be linked to vulnerability of slopes to mass movement. And these are
linked more to the economic characteristics of this residential area. And liquefaction is also related to
geology.
Yes, severity of longer-term impacts could also be linked to magnitude of the hazards.
· e.g. outbreak of cholera from Oct 2010 onwards eventually resulting in nearly 10,000 resulting from
such severe damage to sanitation infrastructure from the 7.0 2010 earthquake.
No – political situation determined the impacts and lack of coordinated relief work exposed the country
to longer-term impacts such as deaths from cholera.
· Haiti - long history of instability, political corruption (ranked as 171/180 on the Corruptions
Perceptions Index) and dictatorship. Unable to manage the relief effort, reliant on outside support. 6
months after the earthquake, 98% of rubble still uncleared and over 1 million people living in
temporary shelter - As planning regulations and earthquake design were not enforced in areas like
Carrefour, this emphasises how poor governance is a significant factor in the severity of the impacts.
· There was another earthquake in August 2021 - 7.2. Only 2200 died, which suggests that magnitude
is not the most significant, as it is unlikely that a country like Haiti could reduce vulnerability in regions
like Carrefour that quickly in just 11 years. But this event was 150 km from Port-au-Prince and the
epicentre was in a more rural region - suggesting that proximity to the epicentre is more significant.
Ultimately –combination of both magnitude and social, economic and political character. However,
MEDCs with high magnitude earthquakes often (e.g. Christchurch 2011, 6.2 magnitude, affected
central Christchurch) don’t experience a death toll of this size (under 200 in 2011). So has to be more
about the socio-economic and political situation in a settlement like Port-au-Prince.
With reference to a case study at a local scale of a specified place in a hazardous setting, evaluate
whether the severity of the impacts of a hazard(s) are determined more by the magnitude of the
hazard(s) or the social, economic and political character of the community. (20)
Yes, severity of impacts certainly due to magnitude of the hazard.
· 2010 earthquake – 7.0 magnitude, multiple aftershocks. Shallow focus (13km) and epicentre only
25km west of Port-au-Prince
· 160 000+ died. In areas of Port-au-Prince such as Carrefour, 40-50% of all building destroyed.
No – socio-economic characteristics of the area had a more significant impact on the high death toll.
· Eg social characteristics increased risk – 31.2% of the local population are under the age of 15.
Only 62% of local population in settlements like Port-au-Prince could read and write – poor levels of
education about what to do in an earthquake. Increased vulnerability of local population due to high
proportion of children.
· 60% live under poverty line.
· 2/5s depend on agriculture, many subsistence farmers, so particularly vulnerable to natural hazards.
· High numbers in slum conditions in districts like Carrefour, poorly built homes.
· Even in urban areas such as Carrefour, only an average of 63% have access to reliably energy
supplies – difficult for businesses to recover.
· Relief efforts hampered by damage or complete collapse to over 50 medical/health centre. Due to
poor building design.
· Politically – earthquake preparation had not been a priority – only had one seismometer in
Port-au-Prince.
Yes - magnitude important.
· Secondary effects such as landslides and liquefaction also linked to the size of the earthquake.
Significant proportion of the destruction in areas of steep relief like Carrefour ,not just due to the
seismic shaking but also secondary hazards generated by the 7.0 event. However, poor planning and
deforestation are also likely to be linked to vulnerability of slopes to mass movement. And these are
linked more to the economic characteristics of this residential area. And liquefaction is also related to
geology.
Yes, severity of longer-term impacts could also be linked to magnitude of the hazards.
· e.g. outbreak of cholera from Oct 2010 onwards eventually resulting in nearly 10,000 resulting from
such severe damage to sanitation infrastructure from the 7.0 2010 earthquake.
No – political situation determined the impacts and lack of coordinated relief work exposed the country
to longer-term impacts such as deaths from cholera.
· Haiti - long history of instability, political corruption (ranked as 171/180 on the Corruptions
Perceptions Index) and dictatorship. Unable to manage the relief effort, reliant on outside support. 6
months after the earthquake, 98% of rubble still uncleared and over 1 million people living in
temporary shelter - As planning regulations and earthquake design were not enforced in areas like
Carrefour, this emphasises how poor governance is a significant factor in the severity of the impacts.
· There was another earthquake in August 2021 - 7.2. Only 2200 died, which suggests that magnitude
is not the most significant, as it is unlikely that a country like Haiti could reduce vulnerability in regions
like Carrefour that quickly in just 11 years. But this event was 150 km from Port-au-Prince and the
epicentre was in a more rural region - suggesting that proximity to the epicentre is more significant.
Ultimately –combination of both magnitude and social, economic and political character. However,
MEDCs with high magnitude earthquakes often (e.g. Christchurch 2011, 6.2 magnitude, affected
central Christchurch) don’t experience a death toll of this size (under 200 in 2011). So has to be more
about the socio-economic and political situation in a settlement like Port-au-Prince.
