Case study: Haitian Earthquake, January 12th 2010, 4:53pm

Effects:

• Shaking of the ground meant that buildings collapsed - didn't have the necessary steel reinforcements - collapsed in a 'pancake' fashion which led to crushing injuries - hospitals were then overwhelmed and supplies ran low - field hospitals had to be set up and many people had to have amputations without aneasthetic
• Collapsed buildings - homes destroyed leaving 1.5million people homeless
• Ground in Port-au-Prince collapsed - harbour collapsed into the water - made worse by soil liquefaction - aid could not get into the country through the port - America had to take control of the airport so that aid could reach the people who needed it

Why was Haiti unable to cope?

• 86% of people in Port-au-Prince living in tightly packed, poorly built buildings - buildings didn;t have necessary steel reinforcements and nobody was checking building quality or enforcing precautions - due to the cost as it is an LEDC and also corrupt government who took the money for themselves
• Haiti has HDI of 0.463 - least developed country in…