Post-earthquake scientific and engineering investigations are undertaken by the USGS and its partners to capture critical information to understand the causes and impacts of the event, lessons from which can substantially improve the Nation’s resilience after future earthquakes.
Earthquake Response
Achieving a more resilient Nation demands that we understand what happens to the earth, the built environment, and to society when an impactful earthquake occurs. Experience over many decades has demonstrated that post-earthquake investigations can substantially further the achievement of the following goals: Improved societal preparedness, enhanced emergency response and recovery, better characterization of earthquake hazards, a safer and more resilient built environment, including improved land-use practices that support community resilience, and more cost-effective construction of new structures and rehabilitation of older ones. Many engineering design procedures and community response plans are based on insights gleaned from the observations of past events.
NEHRP is the Federal Government’s coordinated nationwide program to reduce risks to life and property that result from earthquakes. The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act (Public Law 95-124, 42 U.S.C. 7701 et. seq.) authorizes the coordinated investigation of significant domestic and international earthquakes to learn lessons that can be applied to reduce future earthquake losses in the United States.
The Act states that the investigations shall begin as rapidly as possible, and results shall be disseminated widely. The Act also assigns the USGS with the responsibility of being the lead agency for activating and coordinating NEHRP post-earthquake investigations undertaken by each NEHRP agency within their areas of responsibility.
For these post-earthquake investigation purposes, USGS Circular 1542 describes the activation and coordination of the four NEHRP Agencies: Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. National Science Foundation, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Plan also describes coordination between NEHRP Agencies and other organizations that may participate in pre-event and post-earthquake investigations, including non-NEHRP Federal agencies; State, regional, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies; domestic nongovernmental organizations; academic institutions and affiliated organizations; private companies; and foreign and international agencies and organizations.
USGS geologists, geophysicists, and engineers respond to damaging earthquakes in active tectonic regions of the United States and around the world, working with partner organizations to collect perishable observations and to rapidly provide critical information to stakeholders. Response activities include investigation of seismic sources and aftershocks, determining levels of strong ground motion, documenting the nature of ground rupture and deformation, documenting and understanding impacts to structures and lifelines, and investigating triggered impacts including landslides, liquefaction and tsunamis. On-the-ground investigations are complemented by airborne surveys, rapid 3D laser and optical scanning, and rapid acquisition and analysis of remote imagery to study inaccessible regions.
Post-earthquake scientific and engineering investigations are undertaken by the USGS and its partners to capture critical information to understand the causes and impacts of the event, lessons from which can substantially improve the Nation’s resilience after future earthquakes.
Earthquake Response
Achieving a more resilient Nation demands that we understand what happens to the earth, the built environment, and to society when an impactful earthquake occurs. Experience over many decades has demonstrated that post-earthquake investigations can substantially further the achievement of the following goals: Improved societal preparedness, enhanced emergency response and recovery, better characterization of earthquake hazards, a safer and more resilient built environment, including improved land-use practices that support community resilience, and more cost-effective construction of new structures and rehabilitation of older ones. Many engineering design procedures and community response plans are based on insights gleaned from the observations of past events.
NEHRP is the Federal Government’s coordinated nationwide program to reduce risks to life and property that result from earthquakes. The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act (Public Law 95-124, 42 U.S.C. 7701 et. seq.) authorizes the coordinated investigation of significant domestic and international earthquakes to learn lessons that can be applied to reduce future earthquake losses in the United States.
The Act states that the investigations shall begin as rapidly as possible, and results shall be disseminated widely. The Act also assigns the USGS with the responsibility of being the lead agency for activating and coordinating NEHRP post-earthquake investigations undertaken by each NEHRP agency within their areas of responsibility.
For these post-earthquake investigation purposes, USGS Circular 1542 describes the activation and coordination of the four NEHRP Agencies: Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. National Science Foundation, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Plan also describes coordination between NEHRP Agencies and other organizations that may participate in pre-event and post-earthquake investigations, including non-NEHRP Federal agencies; State, regional, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies; domestic nongovernmental organizations; academic institutions and affiliated organizations; private companies; and foreign and international agencies and organizations.
USGS geologists, geophysicists, and engineers respond to damaging earthquakes in active tectonic regions of the United States and around the world, working with partner organizations to collect perishable observations and to rapidly provide critical information to stakeholders. Response activities include investigation of seismic sources and aftershocks, determining levels of strong ground motion, documenting the nature of ground rupture and deformation, documenting and understanding impacts to structures and lifelines, and investigating triggered impacts including landslides, liquefaction and tsunamis. On-the-ground investigations are complemented by airborne surveys, rapid 3D laser and optical scanning, and rapid acquisition and analysis of remote imagery to study inaccessible regions.