Over 200, 000 lives could have been saved in Haiti

The magnitude-7 earthquake in Haiti did not kill, but our buildings did. A five-person U.S. team evaluating the magnitude-7 earthquake that struck Haiti Jan. 12 says much of the massive loss of life might have been prevented.

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The team, led by University of Washington structural engineering Professor Marc Eberhard, said its main conclusion was that much of the loss of life could have been prevented by using earthquake-resistant designs and construction, as well as improved quality control in concrete and masonry work.

The researchers recommended simple and cost-effective earthquake engineering be emphasized in Haiti's rebuilding effort.

Eberhard said "A lot of the damaged structures will have to be destroyed. It's not just 100 buildings or 1,000 buildings. It's a huge number of buildings, which I can't even estimate."

Questions:
Should we destroy all standing buildings in Port-au-Prince and then start from scratch?

Should the Haitian Government establish (new) building codes for construction?

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