Case Study Detail On 12 th January 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit very close to the capitol city of Port-au-Prince. It was a shallow focus earthquake only 8 miles deep. Population of the capitol is 3 million. Movement along the transform fault between North American plate and Caribbean plate. Effects of the Earthquake So, why did so many people die in the Haiti earthquake - The earthquake occurred at shallow depth - this means that the seismic waves have to travel a smaller distance through the earth to reach the surface so maintain more of their energy. - The earthquake struck in the most densely populated area of the country. - Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere - The buildings in Port-Au-Prince and other areas of Haiti were in very poor condition in general and were not designed or constructed to be earthquake resistant. - There has been a severe shortage of doctors and many people have died of injuries such as broken limbs. - Many deaths were secondary and linked to the poor access to clean water and food. Cholera and Typhoid was a big killer. 8,500 died due to cholera, a further 700,000 infected with the disease.
