(2023) The Impact of the August 2021 Earthquake in Haiti: Evidence from the Social Registry's Shock Module
Summary — This World Bank study analyzes data from Haiti's social registry shock module to assess the impact of the August 2021 earthquake on households in Grande Anse Department. The research finds that over two-thirds of households were affected, with socioeconomically disadvantaged families suffering more severe impacts.
Key Findings
- More than two-thirds of households in Grande Anse Department were affected by the August 2021 earthquake.
- Socioeconomically disadvantaged households experienced consistently more severe impacts across all dimensions.
- Close to 5,900 households (9% of affected population) had their houses completely destroyed.
- Around 850 households (1% of affected population) reported that a household member died after the earthquake.
- Less than 10% of earthquake-affected households received assistance from government bodies or NGOs.
Full Description
This World Bank discussion paper examines the devastating impact of Haiti's August 14, 2021 magnitude 7.2 earthquake through analysis of data collected via a newly developed shock module in the national social registry (SIMAST). The study focuses on Grande Anse Department, where comprehensive household-level data was gathered between 2021-2022 to understand how families were affected by and coped with this major natural disaster.
The research reveals that more than two-thirds of households in Grande Anse Department were affected by the earthquake in some way. The analysis consistently shows that socioeconomically disadvantaged households experienced more severe impacts across all dimensions measured. Close to 5,900 households (9% of affected population) had their homes completely destroyed, while over 22,000 households were forced to leave their residences after the shock.
The study also examines the adequacy of the relief response, finding that less than 10% of earthquake-affected households received assistance from government bodies or NGOs. The authors argue that aid could have been more efficient through greater reliance on cash transfers rather than in-kind assistance. The research provides important insights for improving future disaster response and building more resilient social protection systems in Haiti.
This analysis contributes valuable lessons for disaster relief policy and emergency response planning, particularly highlighting the disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations and the gaps in humanitarian assistance delivery in post-disaster contexts.