Haiti Earthquake - January 12th, 2010
Haiti's earthquake shows how geology and poverty create a deadly combination. This magnitude 7 earthquake struck a country where 80% of people live in poverty, making recovery incredibly challenging.
The primary impacts were catastrophic: 316,000 people killed, 1.3 million left homeless, and 80% of buildings in some areas completely destroyed. The secondary impacts proved just as devastating - contaminated water supplies spread disease, 30 hospitals were damaged when people needed them most, and 1,300 schools were destroyed.
Haiti sits on a transform plate boundary where the North American and Caribbean plates slide against each other. This geological setting makes earthquakes common, but the country's poverty meant buildings weren't earthquake-resistant.
Long-term responses included international aid (the UK donated £20 million), rebuilding programmes, and 'cash for work' schemes where people were paid to clear debris. However, many communities became dependent on aid, and some people were still living in temporary tent villages years later.
Remember: The same magnitude earthquake in a wealthy country like Japan causes far less devastation due to better building standards and emergency preparedness.