Joint Center for Operational Analysis Journal. Volume 12, Issue 2, Summer 2010
Abstract
On 12 January 2010 at 4:53 PM, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, centered under the capital city of Port au Prince, hit the small Caribbean country of Haiti. The resulting death toll was estimated at over 230,000. In a matter of minutes, the largest earthquake to hit the region in over 200 years had decapitated the country's government and many organizations already there assisting them. Among the souls lost were senior leaders of the United Nations representatives to Haiti, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH),1 and the Government of Haiti (GoH). Also lost were 14 of 16 GoH ministry buildings and an estimated 97,000 dwellings, with 188,000 damaged. Over 700,000 people were displaced within Port au Prince alone. The people and the government of Haiti were in a state of shock and a challenging relief effort was made even more challenging by a nearly paralyzed local government. Response by the US Government and international community was immediate, ultimately involving over 140 nations and 1000 non-governmental organizations (NGO), charities, and private organizations.2 The US Agency for International Development (USAID) was designated the Lead Federal Agency to coordinate US government actions in helping the Haitian government respond and recover. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) issued an execute order (EXORD 2236) on 13 January authorizing US military humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations for Haiti. On 14 January US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) obtained Secretary of Defense approval and stood up Joint Task Force Haiti (JTF Haiti) to lead the Department of Defense (DOD) mission within Haiti.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA530330
Entities
People
- John P. Ryan
- Robert Hulslander
- Russ Goehring
Organizations
- United States Joint Forces Command