What is a multi-hazard environment?
A location which is at risk of experiencing two or more hazards (aka disaster hotspot). Usually highly vulnerable.
Describe Haiti’s location.
Located in the Caribbean, bordering the Dominican Republic. Located on the meeting point of Caribbean and North American plate.
Describe Haiti’s wealth.
It is the poorest and least developed country in the western hemisphere.
How many major disasters has Haiti experienced from 2004-2016?
12 – death toll of over 235,000.
List 4 physical factors increasing vulnerability in Haiti.
- Location on the plate margins
- Unusually shaped landmass
- Topography
- Tropical Storms
How does Haiti’s location on the plate margins increase vulnerability?
North American plate sliding past Caribbean plate, causing friction and seismic hazard risk.
How does Haiti’s landmass increase vulnerability?
There is limited access to southern and northern peninsula towns and communities.
How does Haiti’s topography increase vulnerability?
Limited access as it is very hilly, prompting sub-hazards e.g. landslips and mudslides.
How do tropical storms increase vulnerability?
Located in the track of tropical storms travelling South/North, further risk.
List 4 human factors increasing vulnerability in Haiti.
- Poverty
- Population distribution
- Political instability
- Poor healthcare
How does poverty increase vulnerability?
Most live in poor-quality housing (77% live on less than $2/day).
How does population distribution increase vulnerability?
Population concentrated on flood-prone coastal areas (e.g. Port-au-Prince).
How does political instability increase vulnerability?
Unable to effectively prepare for disaster.
How does poor healthcare and sanitation increase vulnerability?
High likelihood of further epidemic outbreaks following natural disaster (e.g. Cholera in 2010).
What has the National Disaster Risk Management System (NDRMS) done to manage Haiti?
- National natural hazard/disaster vulnerability map to help disaster planning and preparation activities
- Development of Emergency Operations Centre where civil servants can manage disasters
- Increasing number of weather-monitoring stations across the island for forecasting -> Provides vital time for preparing + evacuating
Provide an overview of the 2010 earthquake.
January 2010, build-up of pressure between Caribbean and Gonâve Microplate
7.0 earthquake
Most damage in Port-au-Prince
Name 2 local impacts of the earthquake
- Essential services and communication lines cut, necessary to respond to disaster.
- Swathes of land for agriculture destroyed + rivers became polluted/toxic.
Name 3 wider-scale impacts of the earthquake
- 2 million Haitians displaced to temporary housing/housing projects e.g. Village Solidarité.
- Prison Civile de Port-au-Prince destroyed, 4,000 inmates escaped -> widespread shooting and violence.
- 10 months after, cholera quickly spread, killing 9,000.
Name 2 short term responses to the earthquake
- NGOs flew in, but many didn’t speak French -> didn’t understand local needs.
* No linkage: duplication of aid in one area, no aid in another + loads of money spent on NGO needs (e.g. accommodation) - 4 million people received food aid (e.g. from Dominican Republic/Iceland)
* Difficult for relief planes to land, as only part of airport usable
* Aid ships turned away from unfuntional port
Name 2 long term responses to the earthquake.
- $13.5 B in aid was pledged to the relief efforts from over 100 nations, largest in history.
- Poor governance has meant Haiti has still not recovered
- Buildings + infrastructure destroyed, ongoing disasters hampering rehousing programs
Why were the camps not so successful?
- Problems of water supply and sanitation continued
- No policing, gangs of youths and men carried out rapes and sexual attacks.
Why did cholera occur?
- South-east Asia strain from Nepal UN peacekeeping force. Lack of cleaning water and problem with disposing human waste (disease is found in infected faeces).
- Not enough expertise nor medical staff to treat it with antibiotics.
How many died from cholera?
6,900 deaths and 500,000 cases.
