Haiti Earthquake, January 2010

Date: 12th January 2010

Location: Haiti, Caribbean- L.E.D.C

Magnitude: 7.0

Death Toll: 200,000 +

People Affected: 300,000 (dead or injured)

Economic Damage: $7.8 billion

Plate margin: Conservative

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere

• North American plate collided with Caribbean plate
• Fault line through Haiti
• Collapsed Government
• Port au Prince: approx 35miles from epicentre 
• Climate: heat and humidty causing disease to spread quicker.

• Level of poverty
• Poor education and safety equipment
• Lack of services 
• High population meaning more damage due to overcrowding- especially in Port au Prince
• Danger to the high population of children causing issues as they are used to work.
• Poorly structure infrastructure- buildings and roads. 
• No Government

• Destroyed infrastructure. - 1/3 of buildings damaged or destroyed
• Prisoners escaped from collapsed prisons leading to looting and crime. There was lack of police to manage this.
• Loss of jobs - people trying to rebuild their businesses without any money.
• Social interferences due to loss of loved ones.
• Loss of skilled doctors and nurses for surgery. No medicine or knowledge to treat diseases. 
• Spread of disease
• 300,000 dead or injured
• Homelessness

• Poor Technology so poor communication.
• Delay of three days before medical care arrived
• Inabilty to predict earthquake
• No money to provide emergency aid kits

• Delayed response due to lack of government for organising and communicating.
• Delayed response of 5 days before relief.
• President Obama pleaded for help.
• Organised resue teams delivered relief and construction aid. 
• Helicopters bought fresh supplies of water