UC-Bolder prof: Haiti earthquake devastation was preventable

Sociology professor Kathleen Tierney, a nationally recognized disaster expert at the University of Colorado, Boulder, claims that there is no such thing as an inevitable, natural disaster, though earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes are bound to happen.

Tierney, director of CU-Boulder's Natural Hazards Center, states that it is already within the power of communities and societies to minimize the devastation wrought by calamities such as the Haiti earthquake, by planning and implementing of key preventive measures alongside disaster assistance. Tierney explains on the UC-Bolder website:

The city of Port-au-Prince increased in size and population with virtually no attention given to the fact that it's in a seismic area, located on a boundary between two continental plates and no effort was made to make buildings seismic-resistant. No restrictions were placed on where or how homes were built. Many homes were built on hillsides susceptible to landslides.

According to Tierney, steps that can and should be taken now to make Haiti more disaster resistant include rebuilding Port-au-Prince to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes, ceasing the development of hillsides and involving Haitian communities in planning and implementing effective emergency management. Changes in laws and ordinances and education of people about natural and technological hazards can save lives, protect property and facilitate speedier recovery following disasters, she states. Up to date urban development strategies, as well as currently known hazard-resistant architectural designs and construction practices can keep many people, buildings and infrastructure safe notes Tierney. "We do not lack the knowledge to prevent disasters," Tierney concludes. "What we lack is the foresight and political will to do so. The United States and other countries have not yet learned the lesson that disasters are preventable and that today's investments in prevention reduce tomorrow's suffering."