Haiti Earthquake January 12, 2010 Just-in-Time Lecture

Haiti's presidential palace before (top) and after the earthquake Photo: AFP/GETTY

Satellite Photos of Haiti Before and After the Earthquake

What is the Earthquake? The shaking of earth caused by waves moving on and below the earth's surface and causing: surface faulting, tremors vibration, liquefaction, landslides, aftershocks and/or tsunamis.

How Earthquake Happens?  It caused by a sudden slip on a FAULT.  Stresses in the earth's outer layer push sides of fault together.  Stress builds up & rocks slips suddenly, releasing energy in waves that travel through the earth's CRUST & cause the shaking that we Feel during an earthquake.

I) Magnitude:  Definition: A measure of actual physical energy release at its source as estimated from instrumental observations.  Scale: Richter Scale By Charles Richter, 1936 Open-ended scale The oldest & most widely used Noji 1997 Earthquake Strength Measures I) Magnitude & II) Intensity

II) Intensity:  Definition: a measure of the felt or perceived effects of an earthquake rather than the strength of the earthquake itself.  Scale: Modified Mercalli (MM) scale 12-point scale, ranges from barely perceptible earthquakes at MM I to near total destruction at MM XII Earthquake Strength Measures I) Magnitude & II) Intensity

 Magnitude refers to the force of the earthquake as a whole, while intensity refers to the effects of an earthquake at a particular site.  An earthquake can have just one magnitude, while intensity is usually strongest close to the epicenter & is weaker the farther a site is from the epicenter.  The intensity of an earthquake is more germane to its public health consequences than its magnitude. Magnitude versus Intensity

Please see the following addresses for above title: Part I. Part II. Public Health Consequences of Earthquakes

Haiti latest and breaking national news and regional news from HaitiHaiti latest and breaking national news and regional news from Haiti Haiti Earthquake updates Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti daily notesHôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti daily notes Google Crisis response Just-in-Time Lecture Earthquake in Haiti

Previous earthquakes on the island Just-in-Time Lecture

Earthquake Details Magnitude7.0 Date-TimeTuesday, January 12, 2010 at 04:53:10 PM at epicenter Location18.457°N, °W Depth13 km (8.1 miles) set by location program RegionHAITI REGION Distances 25 km (15 miles) WSW of PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti 130 km (80 miles) E of Les Cayes, Haiti 150 km (95 miles) S of Cap-Haitien, Haiti 1125 km (700 miles) SE of Miami, Florida Location Uncertaintyhorizontal +/- 3.4 km (2.1 miles); depth fixed by location program Just-in-Time Lecture

Poverty: Major obstacle to effective disaster mitigation activities Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Americas GDP per capita of 790 USD, about $2 per person per day (before the earthquake of 2010) Ranks 149th of 182 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index (2006)Human Development Index Just-in-Time Lecture

Public Health Challenges Large proportion of children unvaccinated Before the earthquake, only about 40% of the population had access to basic healthcare High prevalence of waterborne diseases and intestinal parasites (especially in children) High rates of TB, HIV/AIDs, and malaria Poor public health infrastructure Just-in-Time Lecture

Public Health Dangers of Haiti Earthquake Potential breakdowns in sanitation Difficult access to clean water Problems with housing and subsequent crowding Dangers of tropical diseases outbreak Fragility of existing public health system Malnutrition Just-in-Time Lecture

UN: Haiti quake shows need to close technology gap

30 years continuous evolution in the practice of Crisis or Disaster Management  Civil defense  Emergency assistance  Disaster response and relief  Humanitarian assistance  Emergency management  Civil protection  Disaster mitigation and prevention  Disaster Risk Management Strategic shift from managing a disastrous event to more preventive and proactive approaches!!

What is Disaster risk reduction (disaster reduction or DRR)? The conceptual framework of elements considered with the possibilities to minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society, to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards, within the broad context of sustainable development !

A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. EarthquakeGeologicalNatural Flood, HurricaneHydro meteorological PandemicBiological DeforestationEnvironmental degradationHyman Induced Nuclear releaseTechnological What is the Hazard?

What is the Vulnerability? The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards. Vulnerable Haiti: oUnprepared people oNon-resistant house & school building oHigh-density population oetc.

What is Risk? The probability of harmful consequences, or expected losses (deaths, injuries, property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or environment damaged) resulting from interactions between natural or human-induced hazards & vulnerable conditions. Risk = Hazards x Vulnerability

What is a Disaster ? A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.

What is a Disaster? A disaster is a function of the risk process. It results from the combination of hazards, conditions of vulnerability and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce the potential negative consequences of risk. What is a Disaster?

Risk awareness & Knowledge development including education, training, research and information are of the important fields of action for Disaster Risk Reduction! Just-in-Time Education Let’s teach the communities right now !

 People need information as much as water, food, medicine or shelter.  Information can save lives, livelihoods & resources.  Lack of information can make people victims of disaster. World Disaster Report 2005 – IFRC/RCS Information ….

Please read carefully at: What we should do/do not before, during & after the earthquake?

List of Supercourse lectures on Earthquakes Tectonic explanation of the May 12, 2008, Sichuan Earthquake in Chinese China Earthquake: 12 May Short version in Chinese in Spanish Tectonic explanation of the May 12, 2008, Sichuan Earthquakein ChineseChina Earthquake: 12 May Short versionin Chinesein Spanish China Earthquake: 12 May Long version Pakistani Earthquake. 8 October 2005 (Spanish version)Pakistani Earthquake. 8 October 2005(Spanish version) Earthquakes 2000 to 2005 From Indonesia to Pakistan A Case Study for the Setting of Water Supply & Sanitation Priorities in the PAK EmergencyA Case Study for the Setting of Water Supply & Sanitation Priorities in the PAK Emergency Earthquake & Tsunami South Asia, 26 Dec 2004 Earthquake Mitigation (in Spanish)Earthquake Mitigation(in Spanish)

List of other useful Lectures on Disasters at Supercourse Dead Bodies and Disasters: Principles of Mortuary Services (in Spanish)Dead Bodies and Disasters: Principles of Mortuary Services(in Spanish) Public Health Disaster Consequences of Disasters (In Spanish) (In Russian) (In Arabic) (In Portuguese) (in Japan)Public Health Disaster Consequences of Disasters(In Spanish)(In Russian)(In Arabic)(In Portuguese)(in Japan) Safety matters: How to Safely Evacuate from your Home Data for Decision making in disasters: advances and controversiesData for Decision making in disasters: advances and controversies

A Tectonic explanation of the May 12, 2008, Sichuan Earthquake Professor Emeritus Tanya M. Atwater Member, U. S. National Academy of Sciences Dept. Earth Science, 1006 Webb Hall University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA