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Policy & Planning

Every year, disasters destroy lives and hard-won progress in underserved communities. Tragedy strikes people who live in vulnerable buildings, in dangerously exposed coastal areas, or in regions not equipped to manage growth. It may take years to recover from disasters, but good policy and planning can prevent losses in the first place. 

 

That’s why we connect governments with scientific, engineering, and policy expertise. Our collaboration bridges gaps in experience, which is even more critical as communities face new impacts from climate change. We also bring insights from social science and engage diverse local voices, to spotlight how disasters will affect people in different ways.

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“In Aizawl, Mizoram everyone knows a person who died in a landslide. We helped create new hazard maps and regulations to control building on slopes. Now Mizoram needs more local experts who understand landslide triggers.”

Lalrinpuii Tlau

GeoHazards International Mitigation Specialist, Mizoram

Projects

Projects

Supporting Thimphu’s Path to Safer Buildings

Bhutan

Using models to identify and quantify building damage from two likely earthquakes affecting the capital city, the scenarios will inform land use planning and building codes to reduce risk.

Increasing Resilience to Earthquakes and Landslides in Shaanxi Province

China

Created a disaster scenario that vividly depicts likely casualties, damages, and actions to reduce risk. Chinese partners learned to develop this tool for public awareness and risk-informed planning.

Safety Measures for Landsliding in Kerala

India

Investigations of still dangerous slopes in Idukki, where 2018 landslides damaged thousands of homes. Partnered with Kerala University, Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), local officials.

Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management

Nepal

One objective was to quantify and plan how to mitigate the high vulnerability of public schools. This led to hands-on training and seismic retrofit of many schools.

OECD School Earthquake Safety Policy

OECD Countries

Guidance for nations to develop an effective school earthquake safety program, approved by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

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“Unlike most I have observed, the vast majority of project funds was spent here, in Nepal. GeoHazards International not only brought technical expertise, but perhaps more important, introduced processes where decisions are made in the open, on the basis of merit and by consensus.”

Shiva B. Pradhanang

former President, National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) Nepal

News

Blog

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“In far west Nepal, not everyone knows we expect a very big earthquake. Districts are rushing to build roads, homes and schools. But poor planning sets the stage for disaster. Now is our chance to push for safe growth instead.”

former GeoHazards International Nepal Field Officer

Publications

Publications

French - Une famille préparée est une famille plus sûre

2025

Un guide pour réduire les risques de catastrophes dans les communautés en Haïti

Books

A Prepared Family is a Safer Family, Dominican Republic

2025

A Sourcebook for Reducing Family and Community Disaster Risk in the Dominican Republic

Books

A Prepared Family is a Safer Family, Haiti

2025

A Sourcebook for Reducing Family and Community Disaster Risk in Haiti

Books

Spanish - Una familia preparada es una familia más segura, República Dominicana

2025

Libro de consulta para la reducción del riesgo de desastres en familias y comunidades en la República Dominicana

Books

Haitian Creole - Yon fanmi prepare se yon fanmi ki pi an sekirite

2025

Yon gid pou redwi risk katastwòf nan kominote yo

Books

Advancing Scenario Practice to Build Resilience to Geologic Hazards

2024

Primary guidance for developing “next generation” scenarios, with emphasis on earthquake and landslide hazards.

Books

Home Coming (Technical): A story about how a strong earthquake affects a family with "left-behind" children in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, China.

2019

Follows a family impacted by a major earthquake in central China, where the deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1556. This more technical version for public officials and decision makers. There is a separate version, in graphic novel format, for non-technical readers including rural families and youth (see above).

Books

Home Coming (Graphic Novel): A story about how a strong earthquake affects a family with "left-behind" children in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, China.

2019

Follows a family impacted by a major earthquake in central China, where the deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1556. This version, in graphic novel format, is for non-technical readers including rural families and youth. There is a separate more technical version for public officials and decision makers (see below).

Books

Towards a Safer Rukum (West): A Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Scenario and Steps to Build Disaster Resilience

2018

Details how a plausible disaster would impact the district and how to improve resilience. A storyline follows local characters and includes practical lessons to prepare. Rukum (West) Appendices contain detailed technical findings of use to local decision makers as they manage safe growth and plan disaster response.

Link:

Towards a Safer Rukum (West), Nepali Version

Books

Towards a Safer Dadeldhura: A Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Scenario and Steps to Build Disaster Resilience

2018

Details how a plausible disaster would impact the district and how to improve resilience. A storyline follows local characters and includes practical lessons to prepare. Dadeldhura Appendices contain detailed technical findings of use to local decision makers as they manage safe growth and plan disaster response.

Link:

Towards a Safer Dadeldhura, Nepali Version

Books

Towards a Safer Bajhang: A Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Scenario and Steps to Build Disaster Resilience

2018

Details how a plausible disaster would impact the district and how to improve resilience. A storyline follows local characters and includes practical lessons to prepare. Bajhang Appendices contain detailed technical findings of use to local decision makers as they manage safe growth and plan disaster response.

Link:

Towards a Safer Bajhang, Nepali version

Books

Understanding GEM’s Potential Beneficiaries

2012

A study for Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation of earthquake risk reduction activities, needs, and barriers worldwide. The purpose is to guide future tool and resource development for users who are not risk assessment experts.


Books

School Earthquake and Tsunami Safety in Asia-Pacific Economies:
Reducing Risk and Improving Preparedness

2011

A policy framework and ways to keep students out of harm’s way who live in earthquake, tsunami, and volcano zones in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries.

Books

Global Earthquake Safety Initiative (GESI)

2001

Technical information about likely lethality of earthquakes in 21 cities-- including vulnerable aspects of the built environment, schools and hospitals. The model alerts and helps the cities prioritize risk mitigation efforts, with special attention to strengthening school buildings.


Books

Risk Assessment Tools for Diagnosis of Urban Areas against Seismic Disasters (RADIUS)

2000

Earthquake damage scenarios and action plans in nine case-study cities: Latin America (Antofagasta, Guayaquil, Tijuana); Asia (Bandung, Tashkent, Zigong); Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe (Addis Ababa, lzmir and Skopje). Lessons could be applied to other earthquake-prone cities. See separate case studies of Tijuana, Mexico; Antofagasta, Chile; and Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Books

RADIUS Case Study Tijuana, Mexico

1999

A scenario of a hypothetical but likely earthquake, based on a probabilistic seismic risk, shows vulnerabilities that put people in danger and the likely damage to buildings and infrastructure. Includes an Action Plan to reduce these risks. See also the RADIUS overview report of nine cities at risk.

Books

RADIUS Case Study Guayaquil, Ecuador

1999

A scenario of a hypothetical but likely earthquake, based on a probabilistic seismic risk, shows vulnerabilities that put people in danger and the likely damage to buildings and infrastructure. Includes an Action Plan to reduce these risks. See also the RADIUS overview report of nine cities at risk.


Books

Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Action Plan

1999

GeoHazards International convened more than eighty government and non-government institutions to develop an earthquake mitigation Action Plan, which was released and endorsed by the Prime Minister of Nepal in 1999. See also Kathmandu Valley’s Earthquake Scenario.

Books

RADIUS Project of Antofagasta, Chile

1999

A scenario of a hypothetical but likely earthquake, based on a probabilistic seismic risk, shows vulnerabilities that put people in danger and the likely damage to buildings and infrastructure. Includes an Action Plan to reduce these risks. See also the RADIUS overview report of nine cities at risk.


Books

Lessons for Central Asia

1997

International technical experts and regional policymakers together developed strategies for urban earthquake risk management in the Central Asian Republics: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.

Books

Investing in Quito’s Future

1995

A description of the Quito, Ecuador school earthquake safety project, which prioritized high risk school buildings and presented solutions to strengthen them.

Link:

Investing in Quito's Future, Spanish Version

Books

The Quito, Ecuador Earthquake Risk Management Project

1994

Quito has experienced several strong intensity earthquakes over the last 250 years. Seismic risk has increased with population growth, poorly constructed buildings, and uncontrolled development. This report describes effects of future earthquakes and prioritizes risk management options.

Books

Keeping Schools Safe in Earthquakes

A process for nations to develop an effective school earthquake safety program, prepared for Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Books
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