Haiti -- earthquake

Social Impacts (three) + duration + seriousness

1. Large loss of life and injury (Short/long) — Extremely serious. Deadliest disaster in Western Hemisphere. High population density, weak building structures, no enforced building codes.

2. Mass homelessness and displacement (long) —- Very serious. Millions without secure shelter. Widespread building collapse, slow reconstruction, limited resources

3. Education disruption (Short/long) — High. Tens of thousands students affected. Fragile school buildings + limited regulation before the quake.

4. Disease outbreaks (long) — Very serious. Thousands affected. Contaminated water sources, poor sanitation in camps, damaged health infrastructure.

Economic impacts (duration) and seriousness.

1. (Long) Destruction of buildings and businesses — Very serious — major parts of the economy collapsed. Reasons: Poor construction standards, no official building codes, dense urban areas.

2. (Long) Infrastructure destruction — Seriousness: Extremely serious — blocked aid, slowed rescue and recovery. Reasons: Lack of reinforcement in critical infrastructure, powerful shaking.

3. (Long) Weak business climate (worsened by disaster) —Seriousness: Serious — slows economic growth and investment. Reasons: Complicated regulations, slow bureaucracy, and high import costs.

4. (Long) High cost of the disaster (~$8 billion) — Seriousness: Extremely serious — Haiti’s GDP is small, making recovery difficult.Reasons: Large-scale housing loss, rebuilding infrastructure, and humanitarian needs.

Environmental impacts (long). Seriousness.

1. (Long) Destruction of the built environment (debris everywhere) —- Seriousness: Serious — blocked roads and slowed rebuilding. Reasons: Large number of collapsing structures; limited heavy machinery.

2. Unsafe water and sanitation (long) — Seriousness: Very serious — led to disease risk. Reasons: Broken water pipes, destroyed sanitation systems, overcrowded camps.

3. Secondary hazards (earthquakes, storms, flooding) (Long) —- Seriousness: High — repeated disasters worsen recovery. Reasons: Tectonic plate boundary, hurricane season, deforestation, and increasing flood risk.

4. Long-term pressure on land from displacement camps (Long) —- Seriousness: Moderate to serious—reasons: Large population concentration, environmental degradation from overuse.

Which category of impacts was most serious and why?

Socio-economic impacts were service, majority setting Haiti back significantly.

To what extent were the impacts mainly long-term or short-term?

A significant amount was long-term due to the economic status of Haiti.

Short term (1st to 6 months) management

1. Search & Rescue (0–2 weeks) — Manual rubble removal due to lack of heavy equipment. International search teams brought equipment and expertise.120 people rescued alive within 2 weeks.

2. Emergency Medical Response. Injured people travelled to Dominican Republic hospitals (became overwhelmed). Local doctors performed emergency treatments with very basic equipment. 18 hospitals and emergency clinics functioning in Port-au-Prince by 2 weeks after.

3. International Aid & Military Support. US sent 5,500 troops, military ships, and coordinated security. UN launched an appeal for $562 million. World Food Programme requested 14 million ration packs. Celebrities raised £35 million through “Hope for Haiti”.

4. Security & Law/Order — UN sent 3,500 extra troops and police to maintain order. US sent 4,000 additional personnel to stabilise the situation.

5. Logistics & Transport — US Coastguard partially reopened damaged port facilities. Four airports (in Haiti + Dominican Republic) used for aid deliveries. Bottlenecks at the airport (due to US military presence) slowed aid distribution.

6. Shelter Provision — Tents provided for only 25% (400,000) of homeless population in first 2 weeks. Camps placed outside the capital due to debris.

7. Food & Market Conditions — Street markets operated with limited stocks. Prices rose rapidly; some looting reported as hunger increased.

8. Debt Relief (Short-term) — World Bank suspended Haiti’s debt payments for 5 years and aimed to cancel debt.

9. Use of Technology for Emergency Management — GIS + Google Earth used to map damaged buildings and blocked roads. 500 scientists mapped destruction within 2 weeks. Aid workers used GPS devices in camps to report supply levels and health conditions.

10. Reasons for Delays in Short-term Aid. Safety rules restricted aid workers to UN compound. US military flights overcrowded the airport → bottlenecks. Haiti’s status as a Least Developed Country → poor governance & preparedness. Ports and roads more damaged than initially realised.

Long term management (after 6 months)

1. Reconstruction Planning. World Summit organised: $11 billion pledged by 54 countries and 35 organisations. Venezuela contributed $127 million + major debt forgiveness. Long-term priorities established [Strengthening democratic institutions. Developing stricter building codes. Rehousing 1 million people still in tents. Preparing hurricane-resistant shelters.]

2. 1 Year Later: Rebuilding Challenges. Only 5% of rubble cleared. Many major public buildings still unrepaired. Unemployment remained high. Around 800,000 people still in displacement camps.

3. Long-Term Housing Barriers. Land rights: only 5% of land has legal ownership documents. About 70% of Haitians vulnerable to eviction due to lack of legal land title. Land disputes slowed reconstruction efforts.

4. Community Involvement. Emphasis on giving decision-making to local communities. Surveys showed locals’ top priorities: food programmes + internet access.

5. Major Long-Term Financial Commitments. The Inter-American Development Bank pledged $200 million annually until 2020. The U.S. committed $5.97 billion for the same period.

6. Governmental Long-Term Plans. President promised all ministries would be rebuilt by 2012 to improve coordination. Need for strong national leadership to reduce dependency on aid.

7. Oxfam and NGO Observations. Reconstruction slower than expected due to chronic poverty, inequality, and weak institutions. The disaster was seen as an opportunity for Haiti’s leaders to tackle long-term issues.

8. Ongoing Risk & Vulnerability Context. Haiti’s location on major fault zones → high earthquake risk. High vulnerability due to poverty, weak housing, and frequent storms. A long history of natural disasters worsens long-term recovery.

How effective was the management overall? Why?

Management was only partly effective. Short-term aid and rescue support arrived quickly, but poor preparedness, damaged infrastructure, and weak governance meant help was slow to reach people. Long-term rebuilding was very slow, with rubble and homelessness lasting years. Overall, management was limited by Haiti’s vulnerability and lack of capacity.

Was management easier or more effective in the short term or the long term? 

Management was more effective in the short term. Rescue teams, food aid and security arrived quickly, even if distribution was chaotic. Long-term management was harder because rebuilding was slowed by poverty, land-rights issues, and weak institutions. Much of the country remained in poor condition even years later

Key Facts

• Capital: Port-au-Prince

• Population (2009): 10,032,619

• Population under 15 (2009): 36%

• Population affected by the earthquake: 3.5 million

•  Number of deaths: 222,570

• Number of injuries: 300,572

• Population displaced: 2.3 million

• Children separated from parents /guardians: >3500

• Houses damaged or destroyed: 293,383

•  Total value of damage and losses: $7.8bn (120% of Haiti’s GDP)

• Population living below $2 a day: 72%

• Life expectancy: 62 years

• Adult literacy rate: 62%

• Schools damaged or destroyed: 4,758

• Source: UNDP Haiti Institute of Statistics and Information, and World Bank — Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world.

  • Vulnerable to natural disasters. 

• Hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on 12 January 2010, at 16:53 local time, 

  • People’s resilience and ability to cope were almost non-existent.