In 2010, two earthquakes occurred of similar magnitude and depth, close to built-up areas. One of these earthquakes occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand; the other in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haiti experienced devastating results compared to New Zealand, which experienced mild damage. Haiti is located on an island in the Caribbean. It is classified as a low-income country. It is densely populated, with many of its population living in extreme poverty. New Zealand is an island located in the Pacific Ocean. It is classified as a high-income country, with a very high standard of living.
Exam Hint
In this question, you are comparing the damage caused by an earthquake in a high-income country (New Zealand) with a low-income country (Haiti).
Explain three factors that may have caused the effects to be felt worse in Haiti. Factor