Location
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Location
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Newsletter
Highlights over 30 Years
In 2021, GeoHazards International celebrated 30 years since our founding. We have spent three decades working alongside at-risk, underserved communities threatened by earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and more recently, climate-related hazards. Our work has spanned over 20 countries at local, regional, national, and international levels.
Our approach remains the same as in 1991—we’re on the ground in advance of disasters, when losses can still be prevented. We work with communities to be proactive about their risks. Over the years, we have adapted to better serve them, and as of 2021, we have local staff leading programs in six countries.
With your support, we will continue to work toward a future in which all people are protected and prepared ahead of natural hazard events and climate impacts.
The timeline below highlights some of the key milestones that shaped our organization and approach in supporting communities worldwide.
1988-1989
Stark difference in fatalities from California vs Armenia earthquakes motivates creation of GeoHazards International
Founded in
1991
Communicate
& Inspire
1992
Quito, Ecuador: Our first use of scenarios to engage communities in assessing & understanding risk
1997
Nangkhel, Nepal: First ever school retrofit trains local masons who apply knowledge to future projects; efforts spark hundreds of school retrofits
1991
Founder Dr. Brian Tucker and Dr. Suyama share a vision to address inequalities in disaster impacts, Suyama/OYO Corporation provides financial support
1993
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Multi-year project raises awareness of earthquake risk, brings leaders together to plan, and helps strengthen local non-profit NSET, now one of Nepal’s earthquake risk management leaders
1999
Inaugurating the first Earthquake Safety Day in Nepal; it continues to be recognized annually
2000
2004: MacArthur Fellow Award recognizing Founder Brian Tucker and the work of GeoHazards International
2005: Hiring of first local person who was embedded with Delhi Disaster Management
Authority
2007
India: Hospital preparedness project creates frequently-used hospital training guides and initiates training programs for hospital personnel in South Asia
2001
Gujarat M7.7 EQ
2004
Indian Ocean M9.1 EQ & Tsunami
2005
Kashmir M7.6 EQ
2009
Bhutan M6.1 EQ
Advance
Local Capabilities
2005
New Delhi, India: Lifeline Buildings Initiative develops local technical capacity to design and implement seismic retrofits of large key buildings
2007: Creation of first sister organization, GeoHazards Society (GHS), registered in India
2008
Padang, Indonesia: Tsunami project emphasizes vertical evacuation options and introduces a novel evacuation park design for safe refuge
2010
Connect Leaders
with Expertise
GHI Kathmandu Valley project in the 90s had sparked seismic retrofit of hundreds of schools in the affected area; all of them survive the Nepal 2015 earthquake
2013
Laipuitlang Landslide in Aizawl
2019
Bhutan: Priorities from school and hospital mitigation plans incorporated in national Five Year Plan
2015
Nepal M7.8 EQ
2011
2016
CAT4 Hurricane Matthew strikes Haiti
2018
Kerala Floods
Cap-Haitien, Haiti: First youth-focused and led project to promote community resilience for coastal hazards & earthquakes
2015
2013
_small.jpg)
Aizawl, India: Multi-year efforts to help the city draft and implement site development regulations to manage significant landslide and earthquake hazards, now considered model policy
2019: Veronica Cedillos becomes GHI’s 2nd President as Brian Tucker retires
2010
Haiti M7.0 EQ
First school earthquake preparedness drills held across Bhutan. These now happen annually.
2013
2015
Bhutan-made Earthquake Desks withstand heavy loads and provide safer cover in schools that are not yet earthquake resistant. Children are better protected.
2020
2020
Kerala, India: First climate-focused project
2021
Haiti M7.2 EQ
Value & Engage Local Voices
2021
Haiti staff lead on-the-ground response efforts. Local relationships cultivated years before the earthquake prove vital.