On January 12, 2010, a major earthquake hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The epicenter of the quake was 25 kilometers southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and only 13 kilometers below the surface. It registered a magnitude of 7.0, with aftershocks of 5.0 to 5.9. The shallow temblor increased shaking at the surface. Although an exact death toll proved elusive, estimates ranged from 200,000 to 300,000 people. Haiti and the surrounding area had a long history of earthquakes dating back to 1751. A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Dominican Republic and Haiti in 1946 and produced a tsunami that killed thousands of people. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and ranked 149th of 182 countries on the Human Development Index. The 2010 quake affected over three million and nearly one million were homeless. Mass graves were used because morgues were overwhelmed. Thousands of prisoners escaped from the penitentiary. Fractured water and sewer lines created unsanitary conditions. The earthquake had severely damaged transportation systems and electric networks. Desperate people looted stores for food, water, and supplies. Injured residents waited weeks to be treated at wrecked hospitals and the communication networks didn’t work. Text messaging on mobile phones became the dominate way to communicate. A cholera epidemic broke out after the 2010 earthquake. Provisional housing consisted of some tents, sheet metal, and tarpaulins. A week after the quake, little aid or help had arrived. International organizations were slow to organize and deliver food, water, shelter, and medical help. By the second week, supplies were sporadically delivered to a few urban areas. Poor communication and logistic coordination among humanitarian aid organizations continued to slow their response. Confusion over who was in charge, air traffic congestion, and problems with prioritizing airline aid flights characterized the early relief efforts. By late 2012, over 26 countries provided military assets to help Haiti, 67 international search and rescue teams, about 400 health care teams, and an estimated 2,000 nongovernment agencies and charities responded to the Haitian disaster. About 500 camps remained in 2012 and by 2014, the number of camps had been halved, with over 100,000 people still without permanent housing. Hurricane Sandy hit Haiti in 2012 and killed 147 people, destroyed crops, and made the 2010 earthquake recovery efforts even more difficult.

Case Questions for Discussion:

1.What community lifelines were destroyed during the 2010 Haitian earthquake? Rank order the lifelines into three category groups (1st, 2nd, and 3rd priority). Explain your reasoning. (Research the 2010 quake to enrich and support your answers.)

2.Given the long history of disasters in Haiti, how would you critique their disaster planning using the four stages of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery? Briefly explain.

3.Select one Haitian major supply chain(s) such as national communications, water or security systems and explain how you would build more resilience into its capabilities?