Haiti earthquake

• A 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in Haiti on January 12th, 2010, at 16.53 local time (21.53 GMT)
• The epicentre of the earthquake was 16km southwest of Port-Au-Prince. The earthquake was caused by a slip along an existing fault (Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden fault).
• The earthquake caused widespread damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and government buildings.
• There was also significant damage to homes and other private property.
• Many people were trapped under rubble or buried alive due to the collapse of buildings.
• There were over 2 million people affected by the earthquake, with around 45% living in camps or temporary accommodation.
• Over 800,000 homes were destroyed or damaged, leaving many homeless.
• A 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in Haiti on January 12th, 2010, at 16.53 local time (21.53 GMT)
• Epicentre


  The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake
• The epicentre was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest department, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital
• The earthquake's focus was 13km (8.1 miles) below the Earth's surface
• Haiti


  • Situated at the northern end of the Caribbean Plate, on a transform (slip/conservative) plate boundary with the North American Plate
  • The North American plate is moving west, causing friction and pressure build-up between the two plates until released as an earthquake
• The epicentre of the earthquake was 16km southwest of Port-Au-Prince. The earthquake was caused by a slip along an existing fault (Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden fault)
• Primary Effects


  • 3 million people affected
  • Between 217,000 and 230,000 people died
  • 300,000 injured
  • 1,000,000 made homeless
  • 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings collapsed or severely damaged
• Secondary Effects


  • 2 million people left without water and food
  • Regular power cuts
  • Increased crime and sexual violence
  • People moved into temporary shelters
  • Cholera outbreaks by November 2010
• Immediate Responses


  1. Aid slow to arrive due to damaged port

  2. USA sent rescue teams and 10,000 troops

  3. Bottled water and purification tablets provided

  4. 235,000 people moved away from Port-au-Prince

  5. £20 million donated by UK government
• Long-term Responses


  1. Relied on overseas aid as one of the poorest countries

  2. New homes built to higher standards, but over 1 million still in temporary shelters a year later

  3. Port needed rebuilding, requiring large investment
• Reasons for high death toll:
• Initial aid piled up at the damaged airport due to lack of trucks and people to distribute it. Water and food took days to arrive, and there was not enough to go around
• Rescue teams from around the world took up to 48 hours to arrive in Haiti due to the problems at the airport. Local people had to use bare hands to dig people out of the rubble
• There was a severe shortage of doctors, and many people died of injuries like broken limbs