Why was Haiti not prepared for the earthquake?

There's a long history of natural disasters so why was Haiti not prepared for it? The reading on the Haiti earthquake highlighted an issue that exists in many countries around the world. This issue is the lack of a standardized building code. For example, in an area that is often hit with hurricanes and tornadoes, buildings should have shatter proof windows while in a place that often experiences earthquakes, buildings should have standardized structures that guarantee they will withstand the impact of an earthquake. Haiti lacked this kind of preparation and precautions. Before the earthquake, Haiti was already a country with high levels of poverty, the earthquake just made it worse. The fact that Haiti was overall, a poor country, did not help much with the emergency created by the earthquake. It affected a great part of the poor population as well as a big part of the high-class population such as those who worked for the government.

Many were crushed under fallen structures that collapsed due to the lack of stability and strength in their bases to withhold the impact and movement created by the earthquake and aftershocks. In my opinion, the lack of stability in structures such as homes was probably the most devastating and affecting issue caused by the earthquake. It left many people homeless, without shelter and in some cases, left children orphaned. All of these things caused by the loss of homes created disorganization and havoc that later turned into violence and looting. This disorganization was worsened by the destruction of the capital’s presidential palace, which provided as a meeting place for those in charge. But what in my opinion made the most impact was the collapse of the main jail in Haiti’s capital. There were many criminals in that jail that were able to escape. They could have and probably did cause harm to the citizens, creating more chaos.

If Haiti were a wealthy country, they would have been able to provide for themselves in such events. Not only did they lack economic resources as a country but they also lacked the resources to be able to provide for its citizens. I think that the emergency period set by the UN should have been extended until there were enough places set up as the shelter  for those who’s homes had collapsed. In the future, Haiti and other countries should pay attention to previous events that relation with what they would soon face. If long ago, the city’s structures had also been completely destroyed, there should have been plans made to create blueprints that guaranterized the structures stability and by that, making it safe to life in.