MAE Center Reconnaissance Team Visits Pakistan and Kashmir
A Mid-America Earthquake Center Reconnaissance Team worked in Pakistan in November to assess damage resulting from the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on 8 October.
December 1, 2005
Pakistan
A Mid-America Earthquake Center Reconnaissance Team worked in Pakistan in November to assess damage resulting from the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on 8 October. The most destructive natural disaster to ever strike Pakistan, the earthquake killed more than 75,000 and left ~3 million homeless, facing a harsh Himalayan winter.Estimates of relief and reconstruction costs are more than $5 billion.
The reconnaissance team was led by MAE Center Director Amr Elnashai and Rice University professor Ahmad Durrani.It included Professor Youssef Hashash, Sung Jig Kim (University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign) and Arif Masud (University of Illinois at Chicago). The team was hosted by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, through its Executive Director Professor Sohail Naqvi, and assisted by Halcrow Consultants and the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers.The MAE Center team had three objectives for its mission: i) to assemble and publish a high quality report to serve as a briefing document for US researchers, policy- and decision-makers; 2) to gain awareness of the major critical issues associated with the earthquake that would serve as a guide for future visits, studies and possible U.S. action; and 3) to establish meaningful and lasting relationships with earthquake risk groups in Pakistan to facilitate joint research, including a US-Pakistan program in seismic risk assessment, and to attract high-quality Pakistani students for training in the U.S.
The team arrived in Lahore on November 6 and met with Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS) and National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK). On November 7, they traveled to Islamabad to meet with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Pakistan Met-office, Geological Survey, NESPAK, and University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar. On November 8-10, the team surveyed damage in Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Balakot, and the region between Muzaffarabad and Balakot. On November 11, they gave presentations to the Ministry of Transportation, Halcrow Consultants, and local Islamabad politicians. In addition, the team met with the Army Corps of Engineers Generals, and representatives of utility companies. An agreement of cooperation was signed with the Higher Education Commission. On Nov. 12-15, the team met with ministerial advisors, visited Tarbela Dam, and collected final damage data.
The MAE Center is now working with the Pakistan Higher Education Commission to establish long-term cooperation with Pakistan with the aim of providing knowledge transfer on earthquake risk management.For copies of the reconnaissance reports from the MAE Center, check the link at the bottom of this page.
Download Report
The reconnaissance team was led by MAE Center Director Amr Elnashai and Rice University professor Ahmad Durrani.It included Professor Youssef Hashash, Sung Jig Kim (University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign) and Arif Masud (University of Illinois at Chicago). The team was hosted by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, through its Executive Director Professor Sohail Naqvi, and assisted by Halcrow Consultants and the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers.The MAE Center team had three objectives for its mission: i) to assemble and publish a high quality report to serve as a briefing document for US researchers, policy- and decision-makers; 2) to gain awareness of the major critical issues associated with the earthquake that would serve as a guide for future visits, studies and possible U.S. action; and 3) to establish meaningful and lasting relationships with earthquake risk groups in Pakistan to facilitate joint research, including a US-Pakistan program in seismic risk assessment, and to attract high-quality Pakistani students for training in the U.S.
The team arrived in Lahore on November 6 and met with Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS) and National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK). On November 7, they traveled to Islamabad to meet with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Pakistan Met-office, Geological Survey, NESPAK, and University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar. On November 8-10, the team surveyed damage in Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Balakot, and the region between Muzaffarabad and Balakot. On November 11, they gave presentations to the Ministry of Transportation, Halcrow Consultants, and local Islamabad politicians. In addition, the team met with the Army Corps of Engineers Generals, and representatives of utility companies. An agreement of cooperation was signed with the Higher Education Commission. On Nov. 12-15, the team met with ministerial advisors, visited Tarbela Dam, and collected final damage data.
The MAE Center is now working with the Pakistan Higher Education Commission to establish long-term cooperation with Pakistan with the aim of providing knowledge transfer on earthquake risk management.For copies of the reconnaissance reports from the MAE Center, check the link at the bottom of this page.
Download Report
