Haiti Relief: An International Effort Enabled through Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Abstract
On 12 January 2010 at 21:53:10 Greenwich Mean Time, Haiti experienced a 7.0-magnitude earthquake centered 10 miles west-southwest of Port-au- Prince. Several factors contributed to the destructiveness of this quake: its shallowness, which made the shock waves much more pronounced; the overcrowded capital city, which was overdeveloped with inconsistently applied and loosely enforced construction standards; and the lingering effects of a string of three hurricanes and one tropical storm that struck during a 23-day period in the summer of 2008. Almost 150 years had passed since Haiti had fallen victim to an earthquake of this magnitude. The devastation proved tremendous. The latest United Nations (UN) estimates indicate that more than 222,000 people were killed, 300,000 injured, and 2.3 million displaced by the earthquake and its 59 aftershocks. Thirteen of the 15 government ministry buildings were completely destroyed. Forty to 50 percent of all buildings in Port-au-Prince and its environs sustained significant damage, some locales as much as 80 percent, as in Leogane, a city of 78,477 people 19 miles west of Port-au-Prince. The earthquake rendered the airport's control tower inoperable and left more than half the seaport in ruins. Later that night, the president of Haiti declared a national state of emergency and, in doing so, requested that the United States help provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The US ambassador to Haiti responded by issuing a disaster declaration, confirming that the situation warranted US aid.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA533555
Entities
People
- Douglas M. Fraser
- Wendell S. Hertzelle
Organizations
- Air and Space Power Journal