Alexis Emmens

Professor Bailey

UH 205

10 January 23

One of the quintessential questions when discussing the 2010 Haitian earthquake is

whether it was a natural or man-made disaster. Haiti sits on a fault line between the North

American and Caribbean tectonic plates. Movement between these plates at the fault line is the

physical cause for every earthquake in Haiti’s history. However, in 2010, hurricanes were

considered the bigger threat and hurricane reinforcement was made a priority. In response, there

was an emphasis on building homes in order to withstand hurricanes. Structures made up of

concrete and cinderblocks held up well during hurricanes but were extremely vulnerable during

earthquakes. Not only was the infrastructure prepared to handle only one kind of natural disaster,

but it was also poorly built. Housing within the cities were often in violation of existing building

codes due to contractors erecting it quickly enough to keep up with the migration of citizens.

Additionally, Haiti suffers more erosion after major storms and earthquakes due to deforestation

by French colonizers during the 17th century. The lack of trees that root soil firmly into place

causes earthquakes to have far more devastating consequences (example: sink holes, landslides).

Haiti was also dealing with political unrest in 2010; the Haitian people were struggling through

rigged elections and constantly seeing their Presidents murdered. The lack of a strong,

centralized government left Haiti vulnerable and unable to defend itself (politically).

It is obvious that the answer to the question “Was the 2010 Haitian earthquake a natural

or man-made disaster?” is a combination of both aspects. As previously stated, Haiti sits on a

fault line. The earthquakes that have demolished Haiti have all originated from this fault line.

The fault line is the natural cause of the earthquake as humans have no control over how and

when tectonic plates move. The damages brought out by the earthquake were all man-made: the
Alexis Emmens

Professor Bailey

UH 205

10 January 23

destruction of housing stems from the improper construction and lack of oversight, sink holes

and landslides were caused by soil erosion due to deforestation during French colonialization,

and the inability to self-advocate was brought on by a weak and unstable government.

In his book, The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left

Behind a Disaster, Katz explores the reasons of the widespread destruction of the 2010 Haitian

earthquake. Katz notes how Port-au-Prince was built between mountains and the sea as a

strategic deterrent to piracy in the 18th century. That location also makes the city vulnerable to

natural disasters. It is also mentioned that Haiti’s rich abundance of coffee and sugarcane made it

a target for competing colonial powers, but the centuries of foreign intrusion and occupation

destroyed it’s agricultural industry and made it dependent on foreign imports. Katz also dives

into the consistent meddling in Haiti's elections, which later contributed to a weak central

government. Katz then deemed that all these factors primed the country for disaster. However, he

also stresses how the influx of foreign aid caused even more chaos. There was no centralized

coordination between the relief organizations and the non-governmental agencies. The medical

teams typically worked in isolation with no communication or control. Agencies often opted for

short-term solutions over long-term ones. In addition to the lack of top-down control, a cholera

epidemic breaks out at a United Nations military compound. The epidemic was caused by the

disposal of septic waste that violated environmental protocols. The septic waste entered the

Artibonite River, which is the source of drinking water for many Haitians, and caused over

80,000 deaths. In the end, Katz concluded that foreign governments should have trusted Haiti to

fix themselves and let democracy grow organically.

Alexis Emmens

Professor Bailey

UH 205

10 January 23

In Haiti Earthquake Response written by Katherine Haver, she states that locals

immediately responded to the earthquake by pulling neighbors out of buildings, clearing bodies

and debris, and starting to rebuild their lives. Haitians abroad sent home estimated hundreds of

millions in aid to help rebuild their communities. It was very clear that the Haitians were ready

and able to support themselves. However, the crisis gained massive media attention and drew in

many high-profile politicians and personalities. Soon after, thousands of international

organizations from South American, the Caribbean, Europe, and America mounted a massive

humanitarian response by donating three billion dollars’ worth of assistance. In The Big Truck

That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster, we can see that

this humanitarian response wasn’t exactly humane. These organizations were operating

unchecked, lacked communication, and had no coordination. In addition, much of the aid that

was promised was never delivered because it was dependent on political demands that the

Haitian government could not meet. Many Haitian citizens were left living in tents in settlement

camps that were intended to be temporary, and communities were plagued with cholera. The

carelessness of these organizations caused many of the issues that followed the 2010 earthquake.

The effects of the earthquake, while catastrophic to the local population, were also

devastating to the local government. Haver had stated that seventeen percent of Haiti’s central

government employees were killed in the collapse of government buildings. With an already

weak central government, this caused even more political unrest. With a presidential election

about to be held, a multitude of candidates desperately started campaigning. This created what

seemed to be a circus-like political environment, and international governments stepped in to

Alexis Emmens

Professor Bailey

UH 205

10 January 23

oversee the election. Haitian citizens were extremely angry with the foreign involvement, and

they protested. As a result, Michel Martelly, a Kompa artist and entertainer, won the election and

became president. Martelly had no prior political experience and only entered politics when he

became eligible for presidency. As a result, the nation continued to struggle behind an unfit

leader.

Had there been more coordination and communication between the foreign government,

international organizations, the Haitian government, and the Haitian people themselves, the

effects of the earthquake could have been greatly minimized. Housing could have been rebuilt up

to code, citizens may have not been left homeless in settlement camps, cholera may not have

decimated the population, and the Haitian government could have been left stable and strong.

However, foreign governments were unable to trust the nation to fix themselves and their

government. As a result, Haiti was left decimated and has yet to fully recover.