LIC CASE STUDY Haiti earthquake

Tectonic Hazards

Place

Haiti located in the caribbean 25km west of Port-au-prince

Date

Tuesday 12th January 2010

GDP per capita

$820

Cause

The North American plate slid past the Caribbean plate in a conservative plate margin

Magnitude

7

Primary effects

• 316000 people died

• Over 300,000 people injured

• $13.2 billion damage

• 1.5 million people made homeless 

Secondary 

• 2 million people left without water food

• Regular power cuts occurred

• Crime increase looting became a problem and sexual violence escalated

• People moved into temporary shelters

• By November 2010, there were outbreaks of cholera

Immediate effects

• due to being damaged aid was slow to arrive

• The USA sent rescue teams and 10,000 troops

• Bottled water and purification tablets were provided

• 235,000 people were moved away from Port Prince to less damaged cities

• £20 million was donated by the UK government

Long term response

• As one of the poorest countries on earth Haiti relied on overseas aid

• The new homes were built to a high standard

• Over 1 million people still living in temporary shelters one year after the earthquake

• The port needed rebuilding which required a large amount of investment