GEO Haiti 2010

State of the Environment Report 2010
these committees do not always have a consistent
set of systematic practices including protocols,
procedures, tools and other operational and
coordination mechanisms able to appropriately
respond to a major disaster. In relation to a risk
management approach focused on mitigation and
prevention of risk, as well as on rehabilitation and
early recovery, the existing tools are inadequate. From
a legal point of view, the recent national legislation
on the protection of investments is still insufficient.
The hydro-meteorological monitoring system
consists of 2 fully-equipped stations and a network
of volunteers. With respect to seismic hazards,
the network is under-equipped and unable to
apply scientific-based approaches. This lack of
primary data and stored information constitutes
a serious obstacle to the MRD committees and
has implications on decision-making, strategic
land settlement decisions as well as on capacitybuilding.
Finally, the absence of detailed risk maps
in regard to locations creates an obstacle to sound
decision-making for the authorities.
Haiti is the country with the highest level of
vulnerability to hurricanes 8 (see Tables 29, 30
and 32 of the GEO Haiti). Each year, from May
to November, the winds, floods, landslides and
mudslides which accompany hurricanes cause
extensive damage. Due to the fact that the
population lives in the center of the Caribbean
Basin, 96% of Haitians are constantly exposed to
the risk of two or more hazards 9 . Efforts by the
SNGRD in recent years have greatly reduced
the loss of lives, especially with regard to hydrometeorological
hazards. More recently, Haiti has
been identified as one country most vulnerable to
climate change.
In addition to the problem of hydro-meteorological
threats, Haiti is located within a seismically-active
zone. Four fault lines run through its territory
and these can produce strong earthquakes. The
recurrence period is estimated to be 150-200 years
for the two largest cities, Port-au-Prince and Cap
Haitien, both located directly on these fault lines.
Other towns such as Les Cayes, Jacmel, Légoane,
Fort Liberté and Ouanaminthe are equally close to
the fault lines.
Another major factor is the weakness that results
from land settlement and urbanization, as 39%
of the population and 66% of the GDP are
concentrated mainly in the Western province.
Additionally, deforestation and the presence of
communities in sunken watersheds and flood
plains are factors that are likely to contribute to
the country’s increased vulnerability. The high
population density in the urban areas, combined
with a proliferation of precariously-constructed
buildings and overall fragility of infrastructure, have
increased Haiti’s vulnerability to earthquakes.
In addition to this environmental vulnerability,
social factors such as poverty, political instability,
rapid urbanization and the fragility of the State
have exacerbated the adverse consequences
of natural disasters in Haiti, and although there
are requirements, as previously-identified, by
the National Risk Management and Damage
Organization (SNGRD), the earthquake has
weakened current capacity and created new
needs. These stem from SNGRD’s weakened
functionality and visibility.
Additionally, the problem of the 250,000 buildings
destroyed or damaged, of the nearly 660,000
affected and displaced persons returning to their
home towns, and of the one million homeless
persons in need of permanent solutions in the
Western province, together with the problem
of somewhat poorly planned post-disaster
efforts (camps placed in flood zones, drainage
channels clogged with debris, etc.) and some
survival strategies (the use of charcoal), have also
contributed to an increased vulnerability to the
approaching rain and hurricane seasons.
At national level, the earthquake showed the
limitations in regard to the capacity to answer
to emergencies and non-climate-related threats,
especially in urban areas. The territorial committees
in these areas require organizational skills and
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8
Reduction of risks and disasters. UNDP World Report 2004.
9
World Bank: Hotspots and Natural Disasters, A Global Risk Analysis (Washington, DC, 2005)