27 January 2010

Emergency Architects Head to Haiti

In the aftermath of the earthquake, architects assess structural safety.

When an earthquake measuring seven on the Richter scale struck Haiti, the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, literally crumbled. '¨'¨

The disaster showed no mercy with a series of aftershocks destroying homes and public buildings alike, leaving over one million people homeless.'¨'¨

The UN mission headquarters, the Presidential Palace and the Haitian Parliament building were among the landmarks that plunged to the ground, leaving the nation and its people in a state of emergency. '¨'¨

Emergency Architects have sent a team of professionals to the scene to evaluate the damage and assess the safety of the buildings by identifying safe shelters for the victims in the mass destruction. '¨'¨

Since arriving the team, comprised of international experts, have been assessing the safety of hospitals in the hope of allowing some buildings to be used for the thousands of patients in desperate need of healthcare. '¨'¨

So far two of five have reopened. '¨'¨

The humanitarian mission of Emergency Architects in Haiti is advocated and supported by the International Union of Architects (IUA). '¨'¨

To donate to the disaster, visit www.emergencyarchitects.org.au.

Emergency Architects
emergencyarchitects.org.au