Earthquake case studies

Port-au-Prince, Haiti 

Loaction 

LIC where the Caribbean plate and the north American Plate slide past one another 

When 

12th January 2010 after discovering the plated had become stuck after the last earthquake in 1751 

Primary effects 

• much of Port-au-Prince was flattened in less than 60 seconds
• 1/2 of the densely packed concrete buidings collapsed 
• 1.5 million people were made homeless 
• liquifaction made the foundation of the buildings were subsided

Secondary effects

• strong after shocks 
• with the lose of civil servants the govt was crippled 
• the main prison became lawless 
• in one year cholera had killed over 1500 people 

short term response 

• rescue efforts- struggle with the densely packed area to clear the area 
• security- 16,000 UN troops and police restored order 
• shelter- 1.5 million…