Major Earthquake Event Presented by: David O. Chung, PE Managing - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jamaica’s Vulnerability to a Major Earthquake Event Presented by: David O. Chung, PE Managing Director, FCS Consultants Ltd Past President, Jamaica Institution of Engineers

History of Natural Disasters Geology and Geographical Location

History of Natural Disasters Hurricanes

History of Natural Disasters Floods

History of Natural Disasters Earthquakes Damage from the 1692 Port Royal Earthquake Damage from the 1907 Kingston Earthquake

Have we responded? Buildings and Infrastructure

Have we responded? Disaster Response Capabilities

Have we responded? Enforceable Codes and Standards Current legal code is the 1908 code developed in response to the 1907 Earthquake

Kingston in a Major Earthquake Event Probability of 50 yr occurrence MMI VII – 73% (Very Strong) MMI VIII – 44% (Destructive) MMI IX – 30% (Violent) MMI X – 16% (Intense)

Kingston in a Major Earthquake Event Less Damage than Haiti Haiti – January 12 th 2010 Magnitude = 7.0 Maximum Intensity= X

Kingston in a Major Earthquake Event More Damage than Chile Chile – February 27 th 2010 Magnitude = 8.8 Maximum Intensity= IX

Kingston in a Major Earthquake Event Significant Damage to approx. 60% of all Buildings

Active Mitigation Measures UWI Earthquake Unit improving mapping & data Instrumentation at the EQU GPS Network, Jamaica Short Period Network, Strong Motion Equipment (Accelerometer), Broadband Network

Active Mitigation Measures Building Codes in place and Act soon to be legislated

Active Mitigation Measures ODPEM improving their response capability

Active Mitigation Measures JIE, BSJ, UTECH & Heart conduct code training

What should be done next? Strengthening of enforcement institutions

What should be done next? Retrofitting of Critical Facilities

Thank You