Bridgetown, Barbados Wednesday January 12, 2011 (CDEMA) – Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake on January 12, 2010 was a rude awakening to the urgency for earthquake contingency planning in CDEMA Participating States and a graphic reminder of the need for the region to embrace and implement the core concepts and principles of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM).
The events that unfolded in Haiti in the aftermath of the January 2010 quake has jolted recognition of the magnitude of impact that is possible in the absence of comprehensive disaster risk management. The event provided the region with invaluable lessons that can and should inform the way forward in addressing the earthquake hazard. The memories of death, suffering, loss and the immense displays of human compassion have highlighted the need to meaningfully address earthquake readiness in the Caribbean. Capacity must be built and potential losses minimised.