Virtual Earthquake Reconnaissance Team (VERT) Summary by Tracy Becker and Laura Whitehurst.
The Room to Read-constructed building (right) survived both quakes unharmed, while the adjacent structure (left) was completely destroyed by the shaking.
A San Francisco-based non-profit that builds schools and libraries in developing countries reports that its buildings fared well in the earthquake. “Of the 399 schools we assessed post-earthquake, just 7% of the classrooms Room to Read had built sustained major damage.”
They report: “The contrast between our approach (skilled engineers, high-quality construction materials, earthquake-resistant design and construction techniques) and the construction method that had been employed when building the other classrooms could not have been more stark.”
Curated topics from the April 25, 2015, Nepal Earthquake to help inform reconnaissance activities, identify impacted regions, and help document the timeline of earthquake response/recovery.
Information on school buildings, especially those retrofitted or involved in mitigation programs pre-quake, from the April 25, 2015, Nepal Earthquake.
