On December 26, 2004 a great earthquake (M W 9.3) occurred off the western coast of Sumatra triggering a series of tsunami waves that propagated across the Indian Ocean causing damage and life loss in 12 countries. This paper summarizes the observations of lifeline performance, building damage and its distribution, and the social and economic impact of the tsunami made by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) in Thailand and Sri Lanka. EEFIT operates under the umbrella of the UK's Institution of Structural Engineers. It is observed that good engineering practice can reduce economic losses, but additional measures are required to reduce risk to life.

On April 6, 2009 an earthquake of Magnitude 6.2 (M w ) struck the Abbruzzo region of Italy causing widespread damage to buildings in the city of L'Aquila and surrounding areas. This paper summarizes field observations made by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) after the event. The paper presents an overview of seismological and geotechnical aspects of the earthquake as well as a summary of the observed damage to buildings and infrastructure. A brief overview of the earthquake casualties is also reported.

No abstract

No abstract