HAITI EARTHQUAKE (January 12, 2010)

Before a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, the Caribbean nation was already holding on by a thread. Haiti struggled with political corruption, desperate poverty, and starvation. Because of over farming, floods, and deforestation, the country could not feed itself: Just two years ago, hungry Haitians stormed the presidential palace when rising world food prices caused a food shortage. With the country's infrastructure already precariously close to collapsing, the Haiti quake made for the most devastating impact that the world has seen in a century. The temblor, with its epicenter located 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, radiated waves of destruction through the Haitian capital.

An estimated 200,000 people were killed,

a further 250,000 injured 

and more than 1.5 million people were left homeless.

Damage to buildings and infrastructure was widespread, essential services were severely disrupted, and an already fractious security environment was further inflamed. 

Most of the poorly constructed buildings toppled as if they were made of paper.




SOURCES:
http://yearinreview.yahoo.com/2010/us_natural_disasters#Natural Disasters
http://www.control-risks.com/default.aspx?page=1577