New Report Assesses Damage Caused By Haiti Earthquake
Scientists from the University of Washington sent to collect seismic data and evaluate damage from the devastating magnitude-7 earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12 have recently released a report documenting their results. The team of civil and environmental engineers says that substandard conditions, density of population and lack of building codes were responsible for the widespread devastation. A survey of 107 buildings in a heavily damaged part of downtown Port-au-Prince found that 28 percent had collapsed and a third would require repairs. A survey of 52 buildings in nearby Léogâne found that more than 90 percent had either collapsed or will require repairs. The report indicates that many of the damaged structures will have to be destroyed and rebuilt. read more