HAITI FACING DISASTERS: PASSIVITY IS NOT AN OPTION

Haiti is one of the most exposed countries in the world to natural risks:
➡️ earthquakes (active Enriquillo and Septentrional faults)
➡️ major cyclones (Atlantic hurricane corridor)
➡️ floods and landslides (deforestation, anarchic urbanization) 👉 It is not natural phenomena that kill:
it is our human, technical, and institutional weaknesses. 1️⃣ A history marked by recurrent tragedies Earthquakes

• 1751 and 1770 — the city of Port-au-Prince destroyed by two major earthquakes
• 1842 — Cap-Haïtien ravaged by an earthquake: thousands dead
• January 12, 2010 — Magnitude 7.3 earthquake: metropolitan area devastated (Port-au-Prince, Léogâne, Grand-Goâve, Petit-Goâve, Jacmel)
• August 14, 2021 — Magnitude 7.2 earthquake: Nippes, Sud, and Grand’Anse severely affected

Hurricanes

• 1954 — Hazel: Sud and Grand’Anse devastated
• 1963 — Flora: numerous human losses in Sud and Grand’Anse
• 1979 — David: significant damage across the country
• 1980 (Allen), 1988 (Gilbert), 1998 (Georges): repeated destructions
• 2004 — Jeanne: Gonaïves and Fonds-Verrettes hit by deadly floods
• Aug–Sept. 2008 — Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike: four hurricanes in six weeks → over 800 dead; Gonaïves flooded again
• October 4, 2016 — Matthew: the Great South in ruins

📌 Non-exhaustive list: the country of Haiti is regularly hit. 2️⃣ Three main cities in permanent danger Certain urban areas accumulate extreme risks:

• Port-au-Prince → earthquakes, floods, landslides
  ✅ the tragedies of 1751, 1770, and 2010 bear witness to this
• Cap-Haïtien → earthquakes, flash floods, ocean swells
  ✅ 1842: a deadly catastrophe that leaves severe scars in memory
• Les Cayes → cyclones, marine submersions, earthquakes
  ✅ severely hit by Matthew (2016) and the 2021 earthquake

Structural roots of vulnerability

• Substandard housing
• Poorly managed ravines and rainwater
• Urbanization in unstable and flood-prone areas

3️⃣ What truly kills: our human errors ✅ The earthquake doesn't kill…
➡️ it's the house that collapses ✅ The cyclone doesn't kill…
➡️ it's the roof that flies off Most common failures

• Poorly proportioned concrete, insufficient rebar
• Unanchored roofs
• Lack of technical inspection

👉 A well-built house = protected lives 4️⃣ Ten vital actions to save lives 1️⃣ Strict adherence to seismic and anti-cyclone standards
2️⃣ Reinforcement of schools, hospitals, churches, police stations, offices, public markets, and shops
3️⃣ Effective dredging and development of canals and ravines
4️⃣ Robust anchoring of sheet metal roofs
5️⃣ Construction of operational multi-hazard shelters
6️⃣ Strict prohibition of building in "red zones"
7️⃣ Rapid alert + regular public drills
8️⃣ Reforestation of mangroves and watersheds
9️⃣ Certification and training of masons/carpenters
🔟 Permanent citizen awareness ✅ Simple, realistic, and immediately applicable solutions. 5️⃣ Building a culture of prevention Natural phenomena will always occur.
What will make the difference is our collective preparation:

• The State must protect
• Municipalities must prevent
• Citizens must build responsibly

« Pa bati kay ak neglijans.
Pwoteksyon lavi se devwa chak moun. » ✅ In summary Haiti is not condemned.
We must break with fatalism: ➡️ strengthen the resilience of the territory
➡️ protect every life
➡️ make prevention a national reflex Passivity is not an option.
Prevention is a national duty. CENTRE ABC — Atizan Bon Chanjman