Haiti Earthquake case study

Haiti lies on the boundary of the Caribbean and North American plates. There was slippage along a conservative plate boundary that runs through Haiti. 

Primary impacts (caused directly by the earthquake)

Social impacts of the earthquake:                             

3 million people affected

Over 220,000 deaths

300,000 injured

1.3 million people made homeless

Several hospitals collapsed

Primary impacts (caused directly by the earthquake)

30,000 commercial buildings collapsed

Business destroyes

Damage to the main clothing industry

Airport and port damaged

Secondary Impacts (result from primary effects)

1 in 5 poeple lost their jobs - due to building being destroyed

Haitis clothing industry - the largest industry - clothing was one of the worst affected

Large number of deaths meant hospitals and morges became full and bodies had to be piled up on the streets

Large number of bodies on streets led to diseases, especially cholera became a serious problem

It was difficult getting aid into the area because of issues at the airport and generally poor management of the situation

People were squashed into shanty towns or onto ther streets because their homes had been destroyed leading to poor sanitation and health, and looting became a real problem. 

There were very few earthquake-resistant buildings

Buildings and other structures were poorly built

The epicentre was near to the capital

There were few resources to rescue or treat injured people. 

Development

$100 million in aid given by the USA and 330 million by the European Union

810,000 people placed inaid camps

115,000 tents and over 1,000,000 tarpaulin shelters provided

Healthcare suppliers provided to limit disease

Lack of immediate aid through poor planning, managment and access meant that people had to try and rescue eachother 

4.3 million people provided with food rations in the weeks following the earthquake

98% of the rubble on the roads hadn't been cleared restricting road access

1 million people still without houses after 1 year so had to live in aid camps

Support for people without jobs, which equates to nearly 70% of the population through cash/food for work projects

Temporary schools created and new teachers trainee

Water and sanitation eventually supplied for 1.7 million people.