Earthquake Case Study (Haiti – Poor)

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Top Highlights

• Causes

• The earthquake was caused by the North American Plate sliding past the Caribbean Plate at a conservative plate margin.

• The pressure that was built up

• eventually released causing a magnitude 7 earthquake

• The earthquake struck at 16:53 (4

• :53pm) local time on Tuesday 12 January 2010.

• Effects

• 316,000 people were killed

• 1 million people were made homeless

• 3 million people were affected by the earthquake

• 250,000 homes and 30,000 other buildings

• were either destroyed or badly damaged

• Transport and communication links were also badly damaged

• Hospitals (50+) and schools (1,300+) were badly damaged

• The main prison was destroyed and 4,000 inmates escaped

• 1 in 5 people lost their jobs

• Haiti’s largest industry, clothing was one of the worst affected

• The large number of deaths meant that hospitals and morgues became full and bodies then had to be piled up on the streets

• The large number of bodies meant that diseases, especially cholera, became a serious problem

• It was difficult getting aid into the area