Haiti

Haitian Earthquake 2010

• located in the caribbean.

Causes:

• caused by the North American plate siding against the Carribbean plate resulting in a build up of pressure.

Characteristics:

• magnitude 7 earthquake
• epicentre 16 miles from the capital city (Port-au-Prince)
• shallow focus of 8 miles.
• struck at 4.53pm on Tuesday 12 january 2010
• 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater.

primary effects:

• 230,000 were killed
• 180,000 homes were destroyed
• Transport links were destroyed
• Hospitals (50+) were destroyed
• Estimated that more than 50% of hospitals were destroyed
• Estimated that more than 80% of schools were destroyed

Secondary effects:

• 2 million people were affected
• 1 million were left homeless
• cholera spread due to injuries, poor living conditions and diet
• $11.5 billion in damage
• The homeless were accommodated in over 1100 squalid camps with limited services such as water and sanitation. 
• Service such as electricity, water, sanitation and communications were badly disrupted or destroyed

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