Haiti Earthquake Case Study Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing the key terminology, facts, primary and secondary effects, and responses associated with the 2010 Haiti earthquake case study.

Haiti Earthquake (Date, Time, and Location)

An earthquake that occurred on the 12th of January 2010 at 4:53 p.m. in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti, with an epicenter 25 km away from the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Conservative Plate Margin

A tectonic plate margin where two plates slide past each other in opposite directions at different speeds, causing friction and pressure to build up; in this case, the North American Plate slid past the Caribbean Plate.

Primary Effects

The immediate impacts caused directly by the earthquake, including 316,000 deaths, 250,000 homes destroyed, damage to ports, airports, hospitals, and schools, and 4,000 inmates escaping from the destroyed main prison.

Secondary Effects

Impacts that occur in the weeks and months following an earthquake, such as 1 in 5 people losing jobs, 1 million people becoming homeless, full morgues leading to mass graves, the spread of cholera, and looting.

Cholera

A waterborne disease that spread through water sources in Haiti as a secondary effect following the destruction caused by the earthquake.

Looting

An economic secondary effect where individuals take advantage of unoccupied, damaged buildings by stealing items from them.

Immediate Responses

Short-term actions taken directly after the disaster, such as providing bottled water and purification tablets, evacuating 235,000 people to less damaged cities, and receiving emergency aid from foreign nations.

UK Government Support

An immediate international response in which the UK government donated £20 million in support.

USA Support

An immediate response where the USA provided rescue teams and 1,000 troops to assist with evacuation efforts.

Long-Term Responses

Sustained rebuilding and recovery efforts, including building homes to higher standards, receiving aid, and debt cancellation, though progress was slow with 98% of rubble remaining uncleared 6 months after the event.

World Bank Response

A long-term response where the World Bank waived Haiti's debt repayments for 5 years, allowing funds to be redirected toward rebuilding houses, businesses, schools, and hospitals.

EU Support

A long-term financial response in which the European Union donated $330 million to assist Haiti's reconstruction.