Natural disaster and human disaster Part１

Due to large scale earthquake on January in this year, Haiti was focused people’s attention around the world. Haiti has suffered by natural disaster frequently so far. Recently, there are four hurricanes landing Haiti in 2008. It made 800 people death, and 800 thousand people, 8 percent of total population, became victims of this disaster. In addition, about 26 hundred through 30 hundred people died due to mudslide or flood caused by tropical storm (smaller scale than hurricane) in 2004.

Even if we consider the increase of abnormal whether due to environmental destruction, hurricane or storm is just natural disaster in this region. However, the damage of humanitarian disaster is also occurring in Haiti.

Oil is expensive in Haiti so most of the people depend on inexpensive charcoal as living fuel. In addition, forest is provisions for farmers. They fell forest to selling charcoal, tilling the field, and growing livestock. Because of this felling, Haiti has lost almost of all forest which covered 98 percent country and there is no resistance against heavy rain.

In 1980, the forest in Haiti which has covered about 25 percent of country were still remained. Although the Hurricane, which had a big destructive power and was classified “Category 3” in five category, had hit in 1987, no one was killed by that disaster. However, the forest is decreasing to 1.4 percent of country in 2004 and it is not enough to protect the people from flood and a mudslide. As a result, more than 26 hundred people people were dead because of heavy rain which was continued for 30 hours.