On 12 January 2010 a massive earthquake rocked the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The ensuing devastation has created what could become the biggest humanitarian crisis of the past decade.
This timely documentary looks at what happened and why, using 3D graphics and location footage to pick apart the mechanics of the quake itself. Looking deeper into the earth's crust, the programme uncovers the immense tectonic forces that led to the quake.
In the first ten years of the 21st century earthquakes have claimed over half a million lives, all from a total of less than 15 minutes of ground movement. The programme examines these events to find out what they reveal about the Haiti quake.
But ultimately earthquakes don't kill people, buildings do. Poor construction and overcrowded cities caused the vast majority of deaths. Could Haitians have constructed buildings that would have survived the quake?
It's a question of immense importance for the whole region as geologists believe that the current quake is just one of a sequence of huge tremors that will hit the Caribbean within the next 40 years.
What's in store for the region and will geologists ever be able to predict these catastrophes?
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Tue 02 Feb 2010
On 12 January 2010 a massive earthquake rocked the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The ensuing devastation has created what…
- Contains footage of the victims of the earthquake and its tragic aftermath which some may find distressing
- This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
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