Shelter and Housing Sector Summary

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake during the afternoon of January 12, 2010, forced an estimated 2.3 million Haitians to leave their homes and establish the hundreds of spontaneous settlements around the country. In addition to the buildings and homes destroyed, the country’s government, economic and transportation infrastructures were devastated. Over 70 km of the transportation network endured damages, hindering effective clearance of rubble and delivery of vital relief and reconstruction commodities. According to the Shelter Cluster, the total quantity of rubble to be removed is 20 million cubic meters—the equivalent of eight Great Pyramids.