Bhutan Earthquake Desk - GeoHazards International

The Earthquake Desk is engineered to protect schoolchildren from heavy debris, unlike a common school desk. Watch how carpenters and welders in Bhutan manufactured a batch of these desks in their earthquake-prone country, working step-by-step with the inventors, and don't miss the dramatic "crush" test.

Preventing Deadly Landslides

Christopher met a boy in the hospital who had been rescued from a massive landslide. This child was the last person to hear his sister and cousin alive, trapped in frightening darkness. It’s possible to prevent such tragedies, but few people in this city knew how. Christopher decided then that he had to learn. GeoHazards International trained 88 geologists and engineers in Aizawl how to reduce their city’s considerable landslide risk. Christopher is one of them.

Reducing Risk in the World's Most Vulnerable Communities

USGS Earthquake Science Center Seminar. GeoHazards International's Anne Sanquini relates experiences working to reduce earthquake risk. Examples from Nepal and Bhutan.

GHI’s Approach to Risk Mitigation--Explained by AIR Worldwide CEO Ming Lee

Historically, the (re)insurance industry has focused on the business of risk. More recently, there has been a focus on new ways for public and private sectors to collaborate on the humanity of risk. Ming Lee, who recently joined the Board of Trustees at Geohazards International (GHI), discusses how GHI has helped create more resilient communities and save lives in Nepal, India, Pakistan, Ecuador, Peru, Bhutan and many other places.

Seismic Risk for a School in Rural Peru

GeoHazards International, in partnership with the Peruvian nonprofit Estrategia, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and Stanford University, designed and implemented a project to reduce earthquake risk in the Andean village of Chocos. The project raised the community’s awareness of its earthquake risk, helped villagers map their vulnerabilities, conducted masons trainings and retrofitted the village’s adobe brick primary school.

Tamaño de la ventana / Size of the Window

Watch a demonstration that compares performance of masonry walls with large windows and with small window during simulated earthquake shaking. See how walls have less damage during shaking if the window opening is smaller. No narration.

Ver una demostración de que compara el rendimiento de los muros de mampostería con grandes ventanales y con pequeña ventana durante el terremoto simulado temblando. Vea como paredes tienen menos daño durante temblando si la abertura de la ventana es más pequeña . No narración.

Grosor de la Pared / Thickness of the Wall

Watch a demonstration that compares performance of a thick masonry wall and a thin masonry wall during simulated earthquake shaking. See how a thicker wall better withstands shaking. No narration.

Ver una demostración de que compara el rendimiento de un muro de mampostería de espesor y un muro de mampostería fina durante el terremoto simulado temblando. Vea cómo una pared más gruesa mejor Soporta temblando. No narración.

Longitud de la Pared/ Length of the wall

Watch a demonstration that compares performance of a long masonry wall and a short masonry wall during simulated earthquake shaking. See why shorter walls are safer for those inside a masonry building. No narration.

Ver una demostración de que compara el rendimiento de un muro de mampostería de largo y un muro de mampostería corta durante el terremoto simulado temblando. Vea por qué paredes más cortas son más seguras para aquellos dentro de un edificio de mampostería . No narración.

Lista de Chequeo, Sismo Resistente, Casas de Adobe

In Spanish

Watch a demonstration of the proper steps to create an adobe house that will not collapse during earthquake shaking. 

Vea una demostración de los pasos necesarios para crear una casa de adobe que no va a colapsar durante temblor terremoto.

Haciendo Adobes

In Spanish

Residents of Chocos, Peru explain how to make strong adobe blocks.They demonstrate the correct proportion of materials, mixing, soaking and drying. Strong blocks that will not crumble during shaking are essential in earthquake-prone regions such as the Andes. 

Los residentes de Chocos, Perú explican cómo hacer fuerte de adobe blocks. Ellos demostrar la proporción correcta de los materiales, mezcla, remojo y secado. Bloques fuertes que no va a derrumbarse durante la agitación son esenciales en las regiones propensas a terremotos, como los Andes.

Chocos Augusto 2011

In Spanish

Residents of Chocos, Peru, describe the devastation from an earthquake that affected their Andes village in 2011, and their motivation to make the community safer for future earthquakes. 

Seguridad Para el Futuro Terremotos

In Spanish

Mira cómo las medidas simples pueden hacer casas de adobe se desempeñan mejor en los terremotos.Este video, creado por estudiantes de Stanford se asoció con GeoHazards International, tiene como objetivo crear conciencia sobre la necesidad de construcción sismo -resistente y re-equipamiento en todo el Perú. Este video fue mostrado al pueblo de Chocos , Perú por GeoHazards International como parte de su proyecto de 2011 con Stanford, la Estrategia sin fines de lucro con sede en Lima, y la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú para mejorar escuela de seguridad contra terremotos en el Perú rural.

Historia de Dos Viviendas: Simulación de Terremotos Huelga Dos Adobe Modelos Casas

In Spanish

¿El refuerzo de una casa de adobe con geomalla y ringbeam realmente hacer una gran diferencia durante un terremoto? Esta simulación terremoto demostrar la eficacia de las medidas de refuerzo simples en la protección de los edificios. El video, desarrollado para el proyecto de seguridad terremoto 2011 de la escuela de GHI, se mostró a los pobladores de Chocos, Perú, para motivarlos a demandar la construcción sismo -resistente.

Tale of Two Homes: Simulated Earthquakes Strike Two Adobe Model Homes

Does reinforcing an adobe home with geomesh and a ringbeam really make a big difference during an earthquake? Stanford students partnered with GHI set up and filmed this earthquake simulation in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of simple reinforcement measures in protecting buildings. The video, developed for the 2011 GHI school earthquake safety project, was shown to villagers in  Chocos, Peru, to motivate them to demand earthquake-resistant construction.

Making Adobe Blocks in Chocos, Peru time lapse

Masons and community volunteers in Chocos, Peru, learned how to make strong adobe blocks. Blocks made with the correct proportion of materials, and proper drying, are less likely to crumble during an earthquake. Villagers used these strong blocks to construct a new school, which incorporated additional seismic safety measures. No narration. 

Partner in Pakistan – Din Muhammad Kakar

GeoHazards International partner Din Muhammad Kakar, a Pakistani geologist at the University of Balochistan in Quetta, reflects on why he is passionate about promoting earthquake preparedness at schools.

Risk Reduction and Development - Tom Tobin

GHI Senior Advisor and former Executive Director of the California Seismic Safety Commission, L.Thomas Tobin, discusses why disaster risk reduction efforts secure and protect a country's broader development achievements.

Naya Suruwaat (Good Beginning)

In Nepali with English subtitles. Trailer 2:27 minutes.

Trailer (c) Anne Sanquini.

In Nepali with English subtitles. Full film 20:10 minutes.

Nepali school community members, including teachers, parents and masons, tell how they strengthened their local school buildings to resist earthquakes. This film includes discussion with masons who worked on some of the first schools retrofitted by National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal (NSET) and GeoHazards International. It also shows new construction. The film was shot in 2013 and 2014. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal in 2015. More than 8,000 public schools were affected, and 30,000 classrooms were severely damaged or collapsed. The original film crew, Baardali Films, returned  to document how schools in the film had fared after the earthquake. Film (c) Anne Sanquini.

Walking to Safety

GeoHazards International is working with community leaders in Padang, Indonesia, to help prepare the city for a likely tsunami through the construction of elevated parks.

GHI Inspires – Dr. Lucile Jones

USGS chief scientist Luci Jones discusses how GeoHazards International inspires the seismic safety community.

Why support GHI – Nelson Ishiyama

Nelson Ishiyama, president of the Ishiyama Foundation, on why the foundation supports GeoHazards International’s work.

Partnering with GHI – Andi Syukri

Former GeoHazards International (GHI) project coordinator Andi Syukri talks about what partnering with GHI means to him.