Lack of building codes and cheap concrete have made devastation even worse following earthquake

Sub-standard construction has contributed significantly to the level of destruction in Haiti following last week’s earthquake, according to construction experts.

Tens of thousands are currently feared dead after being crushed by buildings that collapsed, while many more still remain trapped under the rubble.

As well as a lack of building codes and regulation, there are also problems with the quality of building materials used, according to a report on the BBC news website. Peter Haas, head of the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group, a US-based non-profit group that has been working in Haiti since 2006. "People are skimping on cement to try to cut costs, putting a lot of water in, building too thin, and you end up with a structure that's innately weaker," said Mr Haas, who was on his way to Haiti to help assess the safety of damaged buildings. "Concrete blocks are being made in people's backyards and dried out in the sun," he said. Most buildings in the country are made of masonry - bricks or construction blocks - which tend to perform badly in an earthquake.

Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, was not used to dealing with earthquakes of this magnitude. The country is more used to dealing with hurricanes, which have been getting more frequent in recent years, said Roger Musson, head of seismic hazard at the British Geological Survey, reported the BBC last week. Ironically, people living in the shanty towns might have had a better chance of survival than those trapped under concrete buildings, many of which were flattened, added the report.

It is generally seen as more complex and expensive to earthquake-proof a building than equip it for hurricane damage.