Friday, as part of the commemoration of the 8th anniversary of the 2010 earthquake, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP - Haiti) renewed its commitment to the Haitian people, under the leadership of the Government of Haiti, to work to reduce Haiti's vulnerability to seismic hazards.

Recall that in partnership with the Technical Unit of Seismology of the Bureau of Mines and Energy of the Ministry of Public Works, UNDP contributes to the strengthening of surveillance and a better knowledge of the seismic threat.

With the financial support of the Haiti Reconstruction Fund and the Japanese Government, the network of local stations of the seismology unit will be rehabilitated in 2018 and new stations will be installed in some provincial towns. This equipment, which makes it possible to record low magnitude tremors, is essential for the monitoring of seismic activities and a better knowledge of mechanisms and telluric sources throughout the national territory.

UNDP will also continue its efforts to prevent and raise awareness about the risks of earthquakes, in particular by supporting the organization of a traveling exhibition (which will begin this January 12th) and demonstrations on the actions that save, as well as the training of construction professionals in safer construction techniques.

Let's recall that with the support of UNDP, Haiti now has micro-zoning studies for the cities of Port-au-Prince, Cap Haitien, Ouanaminthe, Fort Liberté and Port-de-Paix. In addition, the Haitian Government, with the support of UNDP, has also enabled 8 communes (Cap Haïtien, Ouanaminthe, Jérémie, Beaumont, Abricot, Moron, Dame Marie et Roseau) to have a multi-risk prevention plan incorporating seismic hazard.

IH/ iciHaiti