Comparing Earthquake Effects in MEDCs and LEDCs

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Before the Quake:

MEDC: Japan-

Japan is a wealthy nation, meaning they can afford to build structures capable of standing up to sustained shaking.

Rigorous building codes are prepared.

Buildings are designed to sway with the tremors instead of collapsing.

Japanese school children have drills once a month which teach them what to do in an earthquake.

Japan boasts the world's most sophisticated earthquake warning systems.

In 1990 Japanese coastal communities built seawalls as high as 40 ft for tsunami protection.

LEDC: Haiti-

(January 2010, Port au Prince, Haiti, 250,000+ deaths)

No building codes. Poorer people build slum houses from what they can find.

Cheap building materials to cut costs, the weak cement fractures easily.

No training for emergency services in how to handle a quake.

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During the Quake:

MEDC: Japan-

125,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.

1.2 million homes left without power, 4.4 million people without electricity 1.5 million homes left without water.

Nuclear reactors exploded.

LEDC: Haiti-

Thousands of buildings collapse.

Buildings close together, people crushed in alleyways or by falling debris.

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After the Quake:

MEDC: Japan-

The Japanese Government only made requests for specific help e.g. calling search and rescue teams.

The PM ordered people to stay calm because they are so prepared.

Many missing in the rubble.

LEDC: Haiti-

Gangs of looters cause violence on the streets.

Many survivors die trapped in the ruins.

Lack of trained medics/nurses; people die of injuries or disease.

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Following up:

MEDC: Japan-

Created 300,000 refugee camps.

The cost to rebuild is $122 billion.

Severe releases of radioactivity which damaged long-term health and environment.

LEDC: Haiti-

Government has few resources (money or other).

Relied on international aid for years.

Up to a million still in refugee camps after a year.

Cholera causes deaths in camps in next hurricane season.